Disability Sport Wales
Chwaraeon Anabledd Cymru

Athlete: John Mcfall

HOME TOWN: Cardiff
AGE: 25
SPORT: Athletics
EVENT: 100m and 200m Sprints
CLASS: T42
DISABILITY: Amputee

COMPETITION NOTES: Silver and Bronze medals in Assen at the IPC Athletics World Championships 2006.

John McFall is determined to make the podium in Beijing. It’s on his list of things to do before he’s 30 which also features running across the Sahara, rowing the atlantic, gaining his freefall licence and learning a foreign language fluently.

Yes, McFall is certainly determined. After he lost his leg seven years ago, he taught himself to run. Now he’s one of Britain’s most promising disabled sprinters.

The Cardiff-based 26-year-old started competing in 2004 and already is one of the top three athletes in his class in the world at the 100m and 200m events. Last month, he left his part-time job at the Federation of Disability Sport Wales to become a full-time athlete.

“When I lost my leg in 2000, all I wanted to do was run again. The sprints were the disciplines available if I wanted to run competitively.”

He played hockey to divisional standard when he was younger and, looking to the future, he is already considering a switch to cycling or rowing once his sprinting days are over.

“Never really having been much of a spectator to sport I didn’t have any sporting role models growing up but used to love watching Cram, Coe and Ovett. I also admire the competitive commitment and winning temperament that both Tanni Grey-Thompson and Steve Redgrave have exhibited over the 20 odd years of their careers; it really puts my last four years of striving for success into perspective!”

He is coached by former Welsh International Darryl Maynard and undertakes 11 sessions a week. “It’s tough. I have thrown up in the past because of the intensity of the sessions.” Maynard often puts him through a tough regime of four sets of 4 × 60m with just three minutes between each set: “That’s quite a nasty session.”

When he’s not training in Cardiff – at the National Indoor Athletics Centre or the Welsh Institute Sport – or hopping on a plane to travel to his next athletics meet, he relaxes by listening to music, riding his much-loved Vespa and playing the guitar. In fact, his guitar will be checked in at the airport and will make the journey to China, “There can be a lot of down-time when you’re away training so it’s a good way to relax.

He cites racing in the Stade de France at the Paris Golden League meeting as the highlight of his career to date. “The opportunity to race at a venue like that was amazing. It’s an 85,000 seater stadium – I’ve not been to a Paralympics yet so it was good preparation for Beijing. It was important to get used to the size of the crowds. I want to minimize the number of first experiences by the time I get to Beijing. Even the walk down the tunnel from the training track to the call room helped to give me an idea of what to expect.”

And if McFall does make it to Beijing – and hopefully the podium – don’t expect him to be home too soon. “I’m planning on travelling home over land from Beijing back to Wales. I’ve always wanted to do it and I’d like to tick it off the list.”

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