Documentary hails the history-making creators and stars of the Paralympics
open and you feel like you are going so much faster. I fell in love with the sport after that and went to my first competition in Finland five months later. In my second race, I achieved 178 points. That’s a world qualifying time for the Paralympics, which requires you to score under 180 points in a World Championship race.
“It gives me purpose and a reason to get out of bed in the morning.”
The talented para-athlete joined his friend and mentor Scott in the five-strong Team GB para Nordic squad in 2018, following his first World Championships in Prince George, Canada, where he placed 13th in cross-country.
Para Nordic skiing debuted at the Winter Olympics in 1976 and consists of two disciplines: cross-country skiing and biathlon. Until 2018, Great Britain had not competed at Paralympic level since 1998.
Callum explained: “We use a rig, like a seat, which is specifically adapted to a person’s disability and is set on two skis. We use ski poles to propel ourselves along, using our core and arms for power.
“We race cross-country over hilly terrain, from a 1.5 kilometre sprint to 15km, reaching speeds of 20-40km per hour. For biathlon, we race and stop to shoot at five targets, which are 10 metres away and roughly the size of a five pence piece.”
In a disappointing end to his current season, the para Nordic skiing World Championships in March were cancelled due to the coronavirus crisis.
While the global pandemic has led to the postponement of the 2020 Tokyo Olympics until next July and August, it has yet to affect Paralympic hopefuls.
The Covid-19 lockdown has also encouraged Callum to focus on his mental health. “I’ve stayed positive for the most part but everyone has their ups and downs. I had suffered from anxiety and depression in the past and the crash did bring some of that back,” revealed Callum.
“During the last few months, I’ve started counselling sessions over the phone. I realised speaking to someone would help me unravel the accident in my head and help me stay positive.”
Callum’s incredible determination, optimism and achievements have seen him become an ambassador for the Paisley-based amputee charity, Finding Your Feet. “I love the charity because it’s shown me there is so much I can still do, like climbing and go-karting,” he said.
And now, after a whirlwind three years, the sportsman has his sights firmly set on Beijing.
“Getting to the Winter Olympics is the No 1 goal. The test event in China is confirmed to go ahead in March next year. I feel confident I will qualify. Team GB require under 100 points and I’ve done that before. That’s my main ambition, as well as staying fit, happy and healthy. I want to keep challenging myself.”
Callum’s mum, Bridget, and dad, Richard, have supported him throughout his training. “I just need to keep training and get to the Beijing Games so they can come along with me,” he added.
“Discovering para skiing has already changed my life and taken me to places I’d never dream of visiting. It keeps my life exciting. It sounds bizarre but my accident is one of the best things that has ever happened to me.”
Paralympic pioneer Sir Ludwig Guttmann
The extraordinary history of the Paralympic movement, and its impact on how the world views disability, is celebrated in a new documentary.
Rising Phoenix, which premieres on Netflix next month, reveals the history of the Paralympic Games and how it became the world’s third-biggest sporting event.
The film was intended to coincide with Tokyo 2020. It now teases the Summer Paralympic Games, which have been rescheduled to take place in Tokyo from August 24 to September 5 next year.
The film features interviews with elite athletes and insiders, including Team GB Paralympian Jonnie Peacock, who has won two 100m gold medals, Australian swimmer Ellie Cole, American archer Matt Stutzman, Chinese powerlifter Cui Zhe, and Australian wheelchair rugby player Ryley Batt.
They reflect on the power of the Paralympic Games and how they impact a global understanding of disability, diversity and excellence.
The first Paralympic Games were held in 1984. Neurologist Sir Ludwig Guttmann organised a sports competition in Stoke Mandeville, Buckinghamshire, involving Second World War veterans with spinal cord-related injuries. Four years later, competitors from Holland joined the Games and the international Paralympic movement was born. The Rio 2016 Paralympic Games involved 4,328 athletes from
159 countries. Their unbelievable feats of speed, skill and endurance reached a global TV audience of more than 4.1 billion.
Team GB set an Olympic record by winning 67 medals at the Rio Games, two more than at London 2012. The Tokyo Games in 2021 will include 22 sports, including badminton and taekwondo for the first time.
Paralympian Jonnie Peacock