MELBOURNE: It’s not uncommon to stumble upon a collage of athletes in colourful fitness attire spread across your social media channels, creating a viewer’s daily inspirational fix.
Training day after day with runs at 4am, reaching speeds most can only dream of, sessions in the gym lifting twice or even triple their body weight, and this continuing message that “you can do anything when you put your mind to it”.
Maddyson Lloyd’s content might look very similar, leaving you open-mouthed as she conquers her Hyrox world record once again with a time of 1 hour and 15 minutes in the Hyrox Perth competition after finishing in first place in Sweden in June.
Yet, for her, living with a disability means breaking down far more than just daily physical barriers.
Having looked up to able-bodied athletes for her whole life, 25-year-old Lloyd said she feels having a disability means she isn’t viewed as traditionally “aspirational”.
“I always idolized able-bodied athletes because you look at them and think they’re the best of the best,” she said.
“Even now, I still look up to them. Disabled people are such a minority, and it’s not always seen as “aspirational” in a traditional sense, nobody really aspires to be disabled.”
Even after her unimaginable sporting achievements, Lloyd is still routinely passed over by brands because of her disability.
“My Instagram receives over 1.5 million interactions per month, which is an amazing stat, but brands will still say, ‘it’s not the right time for you.’
“I can only put it down to disability not being viewed as traditionally ‘aspirational.’”
“Because I have a background in marketing, I’ve dealt with heaps of athletes in my career, along with sponsorships, and it really shocks me how many doors are open for able-bodied athletes in comparison to people with disabilities.
Lloyd was born with congenital talipes equinovarus, severely reducing the mobility and flexibility in her right foot and leg as well as her muscle and tendons development and growth.
Due to the 2cm difference in the level of her hips she developed scoliosis and hip dysplasia leading her to be told she would never run.
“I wholeheartedly believe that athletes with disabilities, or adaptive athletes, have had to overcome so many more obstacles,” she said.
Considering the hurdles she has and continues to face, Lloyd has partnered with Puma, breaking down the stereotypes of what it means to be an athlete.
“I am so grateful that Puma has come out with an initiative called Project Podium, which is why I signed with them recently,” she said.
“It gives adaptive athletes an amazing platform to share their story. Where I’m at now with this sport is trying to give not only myself more of a platform to show what I’m capable of, but to give other adaptive athletes with amazing stories that same sort of love as well.”
For athletes like Lloyd this advocacy work moves beyond what you see on social media as it directly applies to creating inclusive practices for all athletes.
Reflecting on her own experience at the Hyrox worlds, Lloyd said that even at the elite level there is still a severe lack of inclusive practices for adaptive athletes.
“You’ll see a lot of shakeout runs for marathons, Puma did a shakeout run in Stockholm, and so did LSKD, but the route didn’t take into consideration people with legs that don’t work properly,” she said.
“People were tripping over cobblestones, and those in wheelchairs were going uphill on a pebbled surface, which isn’t possible. So we got left behind and had to catch up with the group and find our own routes.
“I’m also building an adaptive camp because there’s nothing available, there are no training camps or community events that are inclusive for adaptive athletes.”
She said she recognises those without disabilities might not always consider these inclusive practises when organising events, and she believes that part of her job is to hold brands accountable.
“As part of my job as an athlete and someone with a background in marketing who isn’t afraid to be on camera, I have a strong responsibility to bring these things to people and brands to try and make sport more inclusive,” she said.
This has never been more important especially as Hyrox begins to look towards bigger stages like the Olympics, where Lloyd said there is still so much further to go.
“Having been privy to some of those conversations with Hyrox, they are talking about stricter regulations and better classifications for adaptive athletes because they want to move the sport into a more regarded, professional athletic space,” she said.
“Some of these athletes are unreal with the times they achieve. I hope it becomes recognised as an Olympic sport or in the same field as something like CrossFit but, as for adaptive Hyrox, it still has a fair way to go.
Moving to Toowoomba in the past few years, Lloyd said she is excited to see what is next as after moving to a regional city she found the community she needed to grow and support her.
“I studied and lived on the Gold Coast for six or seven years. I quit my job at an agency and moved up here to live with my best friend because I needed a change. I was tired of the superficial energy on the Gold Coast and was battling with mental health issues, combined with feelings of not being good enough and being different,” she said.
“I packed up my life, came up here, and it’s been super healing. I’ve been able to be myself. Everyone in Toowoomba has been so lovely and down-to-earth, caring, and supportive of seeing each other grow. I found a gym that is super welcoming, and it’s been amazing for me.”