Chris Skelley - Tokyo Paralympics GB VI Judo Gold Medallist Interview

Here on RNIB Connect Radio we are catching up with some of the Paralympics GB visually impaired medal winners from the Tokyo Paralympic Games to find out how they got into sport, what winning that medal was like out in Tokyo and their advice for other visually impaired people on how to get into sport at any level.

Our Toby Davey caught up with Chris Skelley who won Paralympics GB’s first Judo Gold medal.

Chris began by telling Toby about how he got into sport, starting judo at the age of 5, his parents encouraging him to take up Judo to build his confidence, socialise and mix with other children as Chris has a hearing impairment as well as his sight loss. In his late teens Chris was diagnosed with Ocular Albinism and it was when Chris was diagnosed that he says, ‘it was a dark time in his life, everything left his life apart from his Judo’.

Chris then talks about the lead up to the Tokyo Paralympic Games, turning the negative of the games, being delayed by a year into a positive and Chris says that the lead up to Tokyo has been the best preparation he has had so far going into a competition.

Chris then shares with Toby the background to his very emotional interview he gave after winning that Judo Gold medal, a lot of emotion pouring out after many things happening in his early life, losing his late coach only two weeks before Tokyo and many other things that made the win even more special for Chris. How sport has helped him in his life turning Judo from a hobby to a passion when he had to give up his training as a mechanic, and how sport has helped with his mental health and wellbeing.

Finally Chris gives his advice to other visually impaired people about getting into sport and what sport can give you if you just give sport a chance as well as his plans for hopefully a second gold Judo medal in Paris 2024.

Congratulations again Chris from everyone here at the RNIB on that first Paralympics GB Judo Gold medal.


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