Champion Cooya wheelchair athlete Matt Sheppard is off to Glasgow at the end of July, making the cut for the Australian Commonwealth Games team in the seated shot put.

The Douglas Athletics member says he is “really stoked” having thought it was beyond his reach to make the team for the games.

“It’s probably come on a bit quicker than I thought it would,’’ he told Newsport this week.

“I did get an email a while back to say that I was in contention but I would need to be in the top seven in the Commonwealth to get a spot on the team.

“I have only just made it, to be honest. I’m number six or seven in the Commonwealth.’’

The news came a couple of weeks ago and has swung Matt, 37, into full on training and his family into full on planning to be with him for the highlight of his career.

Training includes three weekly strength training sessions a week and two throw sessions per week.

“We are all pretty pumped and ready to go,’’ Matt said.

“It is great for the kids, and for me to have them there.’’

Matt competes at state and national level in discus, javelin and shot put, disciplines he has either won or placed in at the Australian Championships.

The stocktrader says he was always sporty and his young family’s involvement in athletics led him to step up for the throwing events competitively just a couple of years ago.

A broken back sustained in a gym accident around 17 years ago confined Matt to a wheelchair but the father of three has never stopped his interest in sport and fitness.

“I got back into athletics because the kids are doing it,’’ he said.