Blind Paralympian Libby Clegg will be taking on her toughest Dancing on Ice routine tonight and she can hardly wait.
Once again she will have a chance to show her doubters what she can do.
Libby, 29, will be skating totally unaided but is approaching the sequence without pro partner Mark Hanretty just as she has done with other obstacles in life.
She refuses to let her blindness define her. Libby said: “The stereotypical blind person isn’t myself. It annoys me a bit.
“People’s perceptions can be frustrating at times. I don’t look that blind. There are so many
different eye conditions so you shouldn’t judge anybody if you’re not in their shoes.
“It’s about changing people’s perceptions and giving other blind people confidence – to prove people wrong, in a positive way.”
Libby’s eyesight has got progressively worse since she was diagnosed with Stargardt’s macular dystrophy 20 years ago.
People often underestimate her and even question if she’s visually impaired. But the mum-of-one, who became a double gold medal Paralympic sprinter at Rio 2016, refuses to let it get her down.
She’s happy to prove a point on ITV’s Dancing on Ice and be an inspiration for others.
Libby recalled: “I tried to get on a bus in Edinburgh once. I had a pass which said I was blind and the man told me off and said I wasn’t blind. I was like, ‘Mate, come on!’ My comeback to that is, ‘You don’t look ignorant’, and I walk off. It’s taken me a while to have the confidence to say that to someone.”
Even when Libby is out walking with guide dog Hatti, people don’t believe she needs to be aided.
She said: “People actually think I’m training Hatti. I don’t mind that now. I turn around and tell them she’s my guide dog because I can’t see very well.
“I’ve been patted on the back by people telling me I’m doing a fantastic job training her.”
Even Libby’s ice partner Mark has underestimated her abilities. He said: “I had a preconceived idea what a blind person was like. I thought it would be
difficult and a struggle. I was wrong.” Libby admitted: “I’ve had a couple of crashes. I’ve just laughed it off. Not being able to see well isn’t great but it’s taught me loads of life skills, like how to problem solve and challenge myself.”
Another obstacle Libby has faced is gastroenteritis, which forced her off last week’s show.
She said: “It was hideous. I hadn’t been that ill in 12 years. My partner had it as well.
“I disinfected everything. I was paranoid I’d pass it on and bring down the show. Everyone’s so conscious of germs.
“I was worried it might end my Dancing on Ice dream and was gutted when I watched them all on TV. But I was back on the ice on Monday.”
Excited to skate again tonight, Libby has an important thing to remember, apart from her steps.
“I keep forgetting to breathe,” she laughed. She has devised a special language with partner Mark to ensure their routines go smoothly.
Libby said: “Mark has a number for a set position on the ice. Forward skating is two. He calls numbers at me. And there’s sounds as well.”
Mark said: “We use silly words that don’t make sense. I use sound queues, like our own language.”
Reaching the final would be a massive feat for any contestant but Libby wants to win.
She said: “I’ve surprised myself with my scores. I knew people would underestimate me. When you read on paper, ‘registered blind
woman’, it’s not a great advert.
“The competition is tough. I want to win.
“I’m secretly competitive. I’ve not exposed that side of me yet.”
After intensive training on the ice each morning, Libby has gruelling afternoon track sessions to prepare for the Tokyo Paralympics in August.
She is hoping to repeat her Rio success, where she also broke the world record in T11 100m.
Training keeps her apart from nine-month-old son Edward and blind fiancé Dan Powell, who is a Paralympic judo player.
She said: “I hate spending time away from my son. The first two weeks were a nice little break and now it’s hard.
“He’s coming to London to see me. I’ve hardly seen Dan. It’s a bit rough.”
Mark said: “She’s such a warrior, Libby can handle it. She’s superwoman –she’s training for the Paralympics, training for DoI and a mum.”
Scottish Libby says she’s proud to be an inspiration for people in the same situation as her.
“Parents who haven’t had hope for their children have got in touch,” she said.
“Seeing me do this has given them hope their kid can be successful and live a normal life.”
Soon, Libby will take Edward for an eye test – but even her outlook on that is sunny.
“I’ve got no worries about it. He has understanding of people with additional needs and has two positive parents to guide him through.
"Whether he can see or not I wouldn’t treat him any differently.”
Dancing on Ice is on ITV on Sunday at 6pm
