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Good luck to Harry from Asda Wrexham in the wheelchair rugby Celtic Cup

April 24, 2018 07:41 AM

Good luck to Harry Jones who works at our Wrexham store and will be playing wheelchair rugby league for Wales in the Celtic Cup this weekend.

Harry, who's 20, took up the sport six years ago when he was diagnosed with photosensitive epilepsy and had to stop playing running rugby.

He said: "My colleagues are really supportive and a few of them have come to watch me play. They all wish me well and put announcements out about me on the tannoy."

Harry works part-time at the store while he's studying events management at the University of Chester. He was first called up by Wales in 2014 and has won two Celtic Cups as well as helping them to second in the Four Nations and fifth in the World Cup.

The team are coached by Harry's dad Steve, who also manages Harry's club side, the North Wales Crusaders.

Wales, Scotland and Ireland compete for this year's Celtic Cup on April 28 at Deeside Leisure Centre in Queensferry.

Harry said: "I played running rugby league until I was 14. Then I found out I wouldn’t be able to play running rugby due to the risk of suffering head trauma when you have epilepsy.

"I was devastated. I loved playing rugby and I thought that was the end of me being able to play. Then I heard about the wheelchair version, gave it a go, enjoyed it and I've played it ever since."

His dad Steve said: "Harry goes through phases with his seizures. He can have two or three seizures a week and can then go a few months without one. If he’s at any sort of event, and there’s flash photography, that can start off a seizure and he can have three or four in an hour.

"Wheelchair rugby league is an all-inclusive sport. We’ve got an amputee, children and adults with cerebral palsy, another with neurological issues and others with learning difficulties."

General store manager Shaun Leech said: "Everyone in the store is really proud of Harry. He's a very down to earth, sensible, likeable young man and is very popular.

"He's so passionate about everything he does including his rugby. Everyone at the store wishes him well for the Celtic Cup competition, and for all of his matches."

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