Chris Rogers, Cricket
The Twitter profile of former Australian test cricket player Chris Rogers could very well read something like this:
“Former Australian left-handed opening batsman. Nudger, nicker, gutsy run taker, AKA Bucky”
Instead, the 140-characters-or-less bio is hilariously self-deprecating:
“Short, short-sighted, colour blind red head”
Rogers, who wears contact lenses when playing, has overcome great hurdles to became one of Australia’s gutsiest opening batters. He made a return to the Test side at the age of 35, to prove age, height, vision and ginger hair is no obstacle.
Mack Horton, Swimming
The Clark Kent of swimming, Mack Horton is instantly recognisable for his signature thick-rimmed glasses.
As a teenager, this Olympic gold medallist’s myopia (short sightedness) was so severe he could hardly see his hand in front of his face.
Wearing prescription goggles in the water, and signature spectacles out, Horton is the poster boy for any would-be athlete with severe myopia.
Danyle Pearce, AFL
Fremantle veteran Danyle Pearce has been re-signed for two AFL seasons, tying him to the club until the end of 2018.
However, the veteran player’s career would never have never taken off if it wasn’t for a visit to the optometrist.
Adelaide-born Pearce represented SA in the 2004 in the Under 18 Championships. Despite his impressive junior record, he was overlooked in the draft because of poor ball-handling skills. He later discovered he was short-sighted and contact lenses improved this area of his game.
Lydia Ko, Golf
The Korean-born New Zealand professional golfer became the No. 1 ranked woman professional golfer on 2 February 2015 at 17 years old, making her the youngest player of either gender to be ranked No. 1 in professional golf.
There is something else Ko achieved in 2015: she ditched her thick-rimmed glasses for contact lenses.
She told media she hasn’t looked back since making the switch.
