Jody is one of Great Britain’s most decorated, currently competing, male Paralympians and after winning Paralympic and World Championship Gold as a swimmer, switched sports in 2005 going on to win double gold as a cyclist in the Beijing Olympics, a bronze at London 2012, and Gold in the men’s C4 1km time trial with a new Paralympic record in Rio 2016.
Jody was born with a deformed right foot which was amputated at the age of 3 before he was fitted with an artificial leg. At the age of 10, he raced for the first time for Kings Lynn swimming club, and his international debut came in 1994, representing Great Britain at the world swimming champs.
In 2005 Jody’s career path would change after a ride on the boards of the Newport Velodrome. He entered the 2005 National Championships and in his first ride broke the British record for the flying 200. Still swimming on the GB team Jody’s times caught the attention of the GB coaches and he was invited to a time trial for a place on the 2006 Paralympic World Cup team. This was a success and he was offered a place to ride in the team sprint that went on to set a new world record. After that race, he hung up his trunks and goggles for the last time and made the transition to the British Cycling team.
In 2009 he was made an MBE in the New Years Honours list for his services to disability sport. Jody broadened his focus to endurance as well as sprint races in preparation for London 2012. However, when the competition came, all did not go to plan. A faulty starting gate saw Jody disqualified from the 1km time trial and his explosive reaction created one of the talking points of the games. He later apologised to fans for his outburst and went on to win bronze in the 4km event.
Jody returned for the 2016 Rio Olympics, winning Gold in the men’s C4 1km time trial with a new Paralympic record. As well as competing, Jody has established his own cycling team, the Para-T Paracycling Team, which is made up of elite para-cycling athletes to help promote disability sport.
