Joh meets Ryley Batt | HOME | Great Home Ideas

imagine being so dominant as you sport that they actually changed the rules to try and contain you Riley bat captain of our wheelchair rugby team has been at the top of his game for almost two decades and with the Tokyo Paralympics just a few weeks away he's hoping to lead the Australian side to yet another gold medal winning performance [Music] so yeah so good to see you hello who's this little Archie hello Archie so how beautiful is your house yeah we're pretty happy we have been here since uh what 2018 and slowly building it up and yeah the wife's done it also nothing to do with me now obviously um for you so much so much happen in the world like having what for 19 years now you've traveled your whole life and it's actually been nice just to settle at home for a year and feel what it's like so families sort of getting used to me being at home now with all their covert restrictions so take an adjustment I definitely did I think the the wife and I were a bit like what's happening you know we have to see each other for a week straight what is this what is this but um yeah look we're all enjoying it now we're in a Groove and I think they're actually a little bit uh a little bit sad that I'll obviously be going to Tokyo for a few weeks maybe a few months there are they're gonna be lost wow I mean we've got so much to talk about in relation to that but can we have a look around first I sure can excellent get right [Music] look at this entertainment area my gosh look at your pool yeah look at the view this is spectacular it's one of my favorite spots in the house around here just sitting out here especially in the warmer months and taking it all in and just um yeah chilling out Riley this is so cool yeah wow well I finally let me uh let me build it yeah that was because she needed a break from you somewhere for you to actually put your memorabilia yeah look um yeah pretty proud of some of the achievements we've done as a team so yeah definitely like putting the memorabilia up there only thing missing is uh the Tokyo Gold Medal so hopefully we can form a spot on the wall uh in here for that it'd be nice to have three in a row wouldn't it it would be very nice it's gonna be hard work but it'd be nice seriously hard work when you look at the gold medals that you've got up here do you have a preferences to do which one oh it's a tough one I get that question a lot uh look you really love winning your first gold medal I remember this here look I'm getting Goosebumps thinking about now but here in your national anthem getting a gold medal hung around your neck you know it was a huge moment but in saying that to the you know the back-to-back girl middle and the the Rio Paralympics was phenomenal double overtime winning by one point I mean you know I didn't like the situation we're in going over time but thinking back on it it just made an extra special one yeah you're wearing a couple of caps in Tokyo I mean obviously the wheelchair rugby team massive run priority but you're also the co-captain of the team yeah looking very very proud to be your co-captain in this amazing Australian paralympic team with uh don't need to tour over on my side she is just phenomenal I couldn't do it without it to be honest I'm quite excited about you um when your competition finishes because you have agreed to actually also work for seven and you're gonna you're gonna be part of our paralympic coverage yeah I'm excited for that how many awesome with you there too I see you're going to be wearing for that no Stitch UPS all right [Music] so I feel like we have stepped into life for Riley bat away from wheelchair rugby because this kind of captures everything doesn't it yeah well gonna use the uh the farm horse here around the property it just helps me get around and carry bits and pieces around I mean you don't just actually write it here on your property I mean you actually used to race Motocross didn't you yeah you used to race the quad bike over there um so this one's more of a utility one obviously but yeah the racing went over there and got one for the kids as well and I just love anything what goes fast to be honest it's like seriously I've got to fill this up with everything goes fast I'd be a very happy man but I love it yeah I got the um got the fishing boat here as well happy day so I bought this um off my pop after he passed and you know I just I want to keep in the family good memories and it's been used a lot to be honest uh done off on the best fisherman out of it but I'll give it a crack your pop was one of those real key figures who really made you challenge what having a disability would mean for you was it as a child it was just like it's not going to hold you back from anything he yeah he was you know straight off the bat he just trade me like a normal boy and I think that's what's so special about him he he never saw me as anyone with a disability or that I'd struggle with anything he sort of you know he was the one who bought me my first motorbike and said here you go mate and where everyone else was like well would you buy a poor disabled kid a motorbike or a quad bike um so he just sort of he just didn't say that you're gonna ride with your mates he didn't let me say no or I can't yeah and just yeah I'm really really thankful for what he's taught me in life now look at all this equipment and I think some of this looks pretty scary for me but I gotta say after coming out and actually visiting you at training the hardest thing I've ever done in my life is actually push around your chairs you make it look so easy yeah adrenaline junkie here so I loved love to give you anything go but wheelchair rugby for me I think what draws it drew me in at the start was I guess just bashing into other people in wheelchairs trying to knock them out like concluding me he didn't hold back with me yeah all right go for a joke [Laughter] first wheelchair Rocky it's a little bit more intense than you might imagine come on push okay I'd like a note I actually have a ball which means I've caught it Riley and my Tony I was already in awe of your but this is just something else after actually experiencing the chair good luck in Tokyo I hope you guys kick ass and get the the third gold you've done awesome thank you and that's why I work for you foreign