Canada-based Henly well prepared for his second Paralympic Games

12 August 2021

Canada-based Henly well prepared for his second Paralympic Games

We may not have seen him around our tracks in Sydney for a few years, but discus thrower Guy Henly will proudly represent NSW and Australia at the Paralympic Games in Tokyo later this month.

A four-time Para-world championship medallist in the F37 (cerebral palsy) discus, Henly placed fourth in his Paralympic Games debut in Rio. He had made his international debut at the 2013 Para World Championships in Lyon in France where he won bronze in the discus. He followed with silvers in 2015 and 2017, then bronze in 2019. But in between these four consecutive podiums was a fourth place in Rio, where he missed the podium but just 72cm.

Speaking from Canada this week Henly indicated he was in good form ahead of Tokyo.

“Training has been going really well and we have just come off the back of a great season and I’m looking forward to the next few weeks,” said Henly.

“My goal for Tokyo is to use all the experience that I gained in Rio and have a great throw and enjoy the moment.”

The former Girraween resident has been living overseas for a few years.

“I moved to Canada back in October of 2017 to be closer to my now wife who competes for Canada in the F38 discus. She'll be competing in Tokyo as well. We are based out of Calgary, Alberta and train at Repsol (leisure centre) during the winter months and Glenmore athletic park in the summer.”

Henly and his wife will initially travel to Tokyo with the Canadian team.

“We'll be flying out of Canada on the 14th August and will be based out of Gifu with the Canadian team for our training camp prior to heading into the Paralympic village.”

In an interview in 2013, Henly spoke about how he became involved in athletics.

“I was introduced to tennis at a young age and played at a competitive level in able-bodied tennis up until the last couple of years when I started athletics. It all started (in athletics) when I went to a talent search day back in late 2010 at Blacktown. I got in contact with the Australian throws coach at the AIS and after doing a clinic down there I was put in touch with Bre Clement and Karyne Di Marco.”

Clement and Di Marcio coached Henly through his international debut in 2013, then at the 2015 and 2017 world championships and Paralympic Games debut in 2016.

When living in Sydney Henly worked in IT with Bravura Solutions and has in Canada continued in the same profession currently working for Alberta Health Services.

David Tarbotton for Athletics NSW

Image: Guy Henly (courtesy of David Tarbotton)

EVENT PROFILE – Paralympic Games

When? 24 August-5 September (athletics 27 August to 5 September)

Where? Tokyo

Competition? 539 events across 22 sports

Athletics? Australian team of 36 athletes

Broadcast? Channel 7 & 7 Plus