Natasha Coates
Natasha Coates (born in Warrington c. 1995) is a British disability gymnast, and the winner of 27 British elite gymnastics titles (as of Nov 2022). She also has 48 British medals to her name.[1][2]
Coates, from Nottingham, England,[3] was diagnosed at age 18 with mast cell activation syndrome (MCAS), a rare immunological condition which causes her body to respond to various stimuli with potentially life-threatening reactions;[4] she also has been diagnosed with autism.[2]
MCAS complicates her gymnastics practice in many ways, including making it impossible for her to feel her arms and legs when exercising, therefore not knowing whether she has landed on or caught an apparatus correctly, which often results in falls, cuts and other injuries.[5] She is also at high risk of anaphylaxis.
References
[edit]- ^ "Disabled woman trapped in lockdown for 122 days says she feels 'forgotten'". The Nottingham Post. 16 July 2020. Retrieved 24 April 2021.
- ^ a b "Athlete had to ask Facebook strangers for food after Tesco and Asda scrapped deliveries". The Mirror. 8 March 2021. Retrieved 24 April 2021.
- ^ "Coronavirus: 'People shielding too scared to leave home'". BBC News. 16 July 2020. Retrieved 24 April 2021.
- ^ "Natasha Coates". National Diversity Awards. Retrieved 24 April 2021.
- ^ "Saturday Live". BBC Radio 4. BBC. Retrieved 24 April 2021.
External links
[edit]- Official website
- Column in The Guardian by Coates (2018)