About this Short Film
Accidentally Possible (Karen McPherson, Australia, 2021) is included in the Focus on Ability International Short Film Festival. The film touches on themes of group connection, marathon sport, physical and sensory disability and the challenges of young adulthood. Rather than outlining a specific plot, it invites viewers to consider how movement, teamwork and accessibility shape experience. The work sits comfortably within the festival’s program, which celebrates the abilities and achievements of people with disability. It will appeal to audiences curious about sport, community and the everyday negotiations of independence and support. Thoughtful and accessible, the film offers a fresh perspective on possibility and resilience.
Film Details
Country:
Australia
State:
Victoria
Category:
Open Entrant Documentaries
Genre:
Personal Story
Festival Year:
2021
Filmmaker:
Karen McPherson
Film Transcript
Athletics Australia put on a special marathon in Penrith where people in the able-bodied space have the ability to qualify for Tokyo. Michael and I decided we were going to use that as his last sort of hit-out before Tokyo to try and break his world record of 2 19 30. We decided, because it was a put-on event, we could get as many of our squad in as we wanted to pacemake Michael for as long as we could.
I had two other pacemakers who were meant to help me out and they both got injured pretty close to the start of the race, which, you know, I was a bit worried about. Like, I wouldn't have a pacer that had helped me out for a half marathon, 21k. I was texting Jared through the weekend: "Don't go too hard in this race on the night, day before, you know, make sure you can get me through halfway." So in the morning, in the race, I sat at my bed and it was like self-talk. I'm like, all right, this is Rogues; he's been working towards this for six months. This is his one goal that he's been working towards. I need to bury myself to get to halfway.
The course probably suited Jared in terms of it was a 5k loop so once he'd done it once or twice he knew the turns and stuff. I guess being visually impaired sometimes the courses don't favour. For the first 15k it was Jared, Philo our coach, and me basically in a pack. That was great; we were just having a conversation. Our coach Philo had the whip out — I went a little bit too quick — so then Philo yelled at me something along the lines of, "What are you doing? You're gonna burn him," and then he ran to the front of the pack. I got a shot of adrenaline because I knew I was in trouble. He steadied the pace.
I feel I went to 16k and Rogues asks me, "Oh, how many laps do you have left?" and I go, "Oh, definitely one, maybe two, but like, don't bank on it." I remember I got to 20k and Jared, you know, got my drink and then Chad's like, "Two minutes, had to drink," and he gave me my drink. You know, he probably ran with that drink bottle for about one kilometre. I was like, good, that's nice; you know, it's saving my arms, having my energy.
Then we got to 25, which is another lap. So 25k in and I'm like, "You got another lap in you?" He's like, "Yeah, got another lap in me." Then I get to that and I was like, ah, I'm not completely cooked; maybe I'll just do another lap. And because it was left, it was like, well if it hurts I can just pull out and it won't be that far to walk to anywhere.
Then sort of from 30k we sort of went a bit quiet, the conversations between us. You know, we both started to — I was definitely strong a bit. It was around that same point where Rogue said to me, "Oh, my hamstrings are starting to cramp," and the thought that enters my head there is, well, what's the point of me pacing him the first 27k and then pulling out at the moment when he starts to struggle? His vision around 30k, 31 kilometres, started to get a bit funnier for him and he was like, "Oh Rogues, I've seen blacks before, some eyes, can you like count me into these corners?" and I was like, what? So then, looking around some of the difficult corners, I'd start to lead in and he'd just follow me. Then we'd get out of the corners and then come straight back in front of me to pace me. He got through 35k easy. He's coming towards the point that we were on the course and then I sat down. That was sort of his mindset: he got Michael as far as he could go and he was happy with that.
I just remember Philo running up to me and saying something like, "You've got this far, you might as well finish the race, you probably just jog around now and break the world record." New class — oh, do you want me to? — and he sort of just sat up like he's pretty spam, but he just looked at me and he was, I think he just wanted affirmation from me that he was allowed to finish. He pointed down the other side of the course and I saw Jared keep on running and I was like, well this is like crazy. I'm hurting but this guy's just paced me for 35k and then jumped back in the race. To have one athlete who does a special thing but to have it both in the same race where you're a part of life is pretty, pretty amazing.
People look from the outside and think running is an individual sport, but we've got a really tight team, and when you're running for your teammates you can pull off superhuman feats. It was just one of those days that, yeah, I'll never forget. I didn't think I was gonna run a marathon when I was 21, especially not by accident.
Filmmaker
Karen McPherson is the filmmaker behind this entry. See every Focus on Ability entry from Karen McPherson.
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