Ayaz was born with a disability called Robert's Syndrome which affected the growth of his upper and lower limbs. During school days Ayaz was interested in sports and initially started playing wheelchair basketball but eventually transitioned to wheelchair rugby. His thriving interest for the sport, support of his family and his intense demanding preparations earned him a spot on the Great Britain Wheelchair Rugby elite team. He is a two-time European gold medal champion and has proudly competed at the Rio 2016 Paralympic Games with the Great Britain Wheelchair Rugby team (GBWR).

How did you choose wheelchair rugby as your sport? What kind of training do you have to undertake to be competitive at this sport?A: I was born with a disability called Robert's Syndrome which affected the growth of my upper and lower body limbs. I started off playing Wheelchair Basketball which was a non contact sport, this was something I didn't adhere to as I was sent off most games! I was then scouted to play Wheelchair Rugby and I was invited down to a Great Britain (GB) training camp to see if I was eligible to play. To participate in Wheelchair Rugby you have to have a deficiency in 3 or 4 limbs. I was classified to be eligible to play the sport. I still remember my first ever session where the club coach (now the current GB coach) said I would do big things which gave me a lot of confidence. A few months after playing the sport I was called up into the GB elite team for a tournament in Australia, after this tournament I was told the game was too dangerous for me. This did not deter me as I kept on training. I worked my way into the GB development team and was voted best player in position on my debut for the team. Six months later after the London 2012 Paralympics there were a lot of players who retired and I along with most of the development team were promoted into the elite team. On my return tournament to the elite team I was once again voted best player in position. That year in 2013 I was selected for my first European Championships where we came away with a bronze medal which was a fair result considering how new the team was. In 2014 I was voted the fans Most Valuable Player at the World Championships in Denmark. In 2015 we won our first Gold medal at the European Championships in the last seconds of the game securing our qualification for the Rio 2016 Paralympics (which I'll speak about later). Last year in 2017 we retained our Gold medal at the European Championships in Germany.
The training to compete at the highest level is pretty intense. Every month the GB team meet up for a 4 day training camp where we train twice a day along with tactical meetings. These training camps become more frequent as we approach a major tournament. Outside of national team training I play for my club West Coast Crash who train once a week, I attend another club's training session too for extra training. We also have to work hard in the gym where we follow a strength and conditioning programme.

What has been the most memorable tournament so far and why?A: My most memorable tournament was the Rio 2016 Paralympics as it's the biggest stage for a Paralympic athlete to compete in.

How was your experience at the Paralympics?A: Overall the experience at the Rio 2016 Paralympics was great was just a shame we missed out on competing for a medal by losing to Canada by 1 point in the remaining seconds of the game.

What is something you cherish from your school days? What was your favorite activity from those days?A: I used to be able to run around when I was younger so I always cherished playing sports with my friends during lunchtime.

What are your other hobbies?A:  I'm a big football (soccer) fan, I support Manchester United and watch them (mostly on tv but have been to a few games). I binge watch TV shows and movies, I like spending time with family and friends.

Who is your inspiration?A: I'd say a lot of people have inspired me. My family members being first especially my parents as they supported me growing up with a disability and empowering me to do anything I wanted.

What do you like to do when you are with your family/friends?A: Go out for food/ watch tv/ films

Can you give tips/advice for those in our community who are interested in sports?A: Give it a go and find a sport that you enjoy. Stay humble with no matter what success you achieve.

Any special message for our community?A: Anyone can achieve anything with the right amount of encouragement and opportunity. Always empower those in need and provide support where necessary.