Swindon’s Chris Hunt Skelley MBE made history at the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games as he won a bronze medal in judo.
Having won gold in Tokyo after first competing at the Games in Rio de Janeiro in 2016, Skelley switched to the newly introduced +90 kilogram weight category for Paris.
The 31-year-old judoka followed in the footsteps of one of his idols, Simon Jackson, in being the first person in more than 25 years to win a Paralympics medal in two Games in separate weight categories.
Skelley has ocular tanious albinism and made the switch to visually-impaired judo after competing in other sports became too dangerous for him and fellow competitors and has become a history maker at his third Paralympics.
He said: “I’m humbled and honoured to have this opportunity to represent my country again in this sport.
“The new weight category presented a significant challenge, but I’m proud to have achieved this amazing result. I gave it my all, I fought for every second.
“When I stepped onto the mat in Paris, I gave it my all, supported by my coach, teammates, my wife, and my family and friends.
“I strived to be the best I could be and worked hard to bring home a medal.”
The Adver spoke to Skelley before he headed off to Paris and he was targeting equalling Jackon’s achievements.
He said: “It is not an easy feat to do, I am trying to win my second Paralympic Games but I believe that all of the hard work I have done, all the effort that has been put into me, and all the stuff I have had to come through – I believe that makes you and gives me a good chance to do my double.
“An absolute legend of visually impaired Simon Jackson has done it, so I am hoping to match him.
“It would be a huge honour to be level with him, given what he did for visually impaired sport, he is someone to look up to and he has set the standards for everyone.
“That young Chris that went through the very tough period in his life where he didn’t see an end if I could go back and tell him he has this and will be going to his third Paralympic Games, I would have bitten his hand off.
“It is a real poignant moment for me to see how far I have and how much I have had to fight to get there.”
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