Kammala wannan jumla: An yi wahayi zuwa gare ta ta hanyar talabijin na wasan kwaikwayo na farko a gasar zakarun Turai
Wasannin Paralympics na Atlanta na 1996, Higgins ya sake yin tseren doki, da nufin yin gasa a wasannin Paralympics na 2000 a Sydney. Iyalinta da abokanta sun damu da tasirin da wasan zai yi a kan guringuntsi na hip, kuma ta yi yarjejeniya da mijinta cewa za ta daina wasan idan ba ta yi kyau ba a gasar zakarun Burtaniya ta gaba ga Rideers tare da nakasassu, wanda za a gudanar watanni shida bayan haka. Ta lashe gasar zakarun Burtaniya a matakin kasa da na kasa da kasa a cikin rarrabuwa na Grade 3 daga 1997 zuwa 1999. Bayan nasararta ta farko a gasar zakarun Burtaniya, mijinta ya ajiye aikinsa na hawa don zama mai horar da ita da kuma motsawa. A watan Agusta 1999, ta lashe lambobin tagulla guda biyu a Gasar Cin Kofin Duniya ta 4 ga Masu Ruwa da nakasa a Denmark, daya a gasar zakarun duniya na mutum na 3 da kuma wani a matsayin wani ɓangare na ƙungiyar rigakafin Australiya.