Andy Barrow on wheelchair rugby

Just six years after taking up wheelchair rugby, Andy Barrow represented Great Britain at the highest possible level - the 2004 Paralympics in Athens.

Barrow reveals his passion for the game and how he first got involved.

Andy Barrow GB wheelchair rugby player

I've always been a keen sportsman. I grew up playing football, rugby and cricket and also enjoyed swimming.

WHEELCHAIR RUGBY RULES Teams of four play on a basketball court Score by carrying the ball over the opponents' goal line Ball must be bounced once every 10 seconds Four eight-minute quarters and the clock stops whenever the ball is deemed out of play A typical match lasts about one hour Paralympic rugby lowdown

In 1997 I broke my neck in a scrum, which left me paralysed from the chest down.

It was during my rehabilitation that I discovered wheelchair rugby. Someone told me about it while I was in hospital and when I left I started training with a London club.

The game was difficult to pick up at first, but I had lots of encouragement. Like anything, the more I played the more I learned.

Wheelchair rugby is still a relatively small sport. The GB squad is quite small and we're all very good friends.

Our training is split between court sessions, weights, skill sessions and a bit of swimming.

When we're not training together, we're expected to duplicate the sessions on our own. In total I spend about five days a week in training.

Injuries permitting, it's possible that I could carry on playing until I'm 40. Once I've finished, I'd definitely look at going into coaching.

I've already done a bit of work with the GB Development squad and there are some good new players coming through.

We have a very good development system and our newer players are getting coached very well.

A lot of guys with spinal injuries play our sport, so many of them won't have been in a wheelchair long. The youngest players in wheelchair rugby tend to be aged 16-23.