Jorge Hinojosa
A MUM of a disabled girl is asking for funds to pursue her dream of competing in the Weightlifting Masters World Championships.
Shella Badaseraye, 35, who moved to Mallorca from Nigeria when she was 12, was the star of the recent European championships in Poland, claiming three golds.
This has opened the way to her competing at the World Championships in Orlando, Florida, this December.
But she does not get any financial help from the Spanish Weightlifting Federation, so her ambition of competing foundered on the estimated €5,000 cost of attending and pitting her strength and skills against the world’s best.
The mother of two, who runs a gym in Palma, needs to pay €1,000 for specialised 24-hour-a-day care for her handicapped daughter Anahi, 16, while she is away.
Anahi was the inspiration for Shella taking up weightlifting. Shella had found herself unable to pick up Anahi when the girl had fallen and had to ask for help from a passerby.
She vowed never to be in that situation again and so headed for the gym, where the weight lifting bug bit her hard.
Within a couple of years she was winning national championships as well as looking after her daughter round the clock.
Now she has reached world standard, but on top of the €1,000 care costs she needs another €4,000 for airfares, car hire and accommodation for her and her coach.
Now family and friends have rallied round to launch a fund-raising campaign called #Shellamundial aiming to collect €5,000. From donations and sponsorship.In order to support Shella, you can click this link to support her on GoFundMe.
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