Hospital I flew back to was in Birmingham.. it takes a lot to go back. I’ve only been for ops so at least I know I can visit without anybody wanting to cut me open
Yule’s back in the Midlands
There won’t be many other athletes at the Commonwealth Games who started competing at international level in their 30s.
And it’s even less likely anyone has overcome the t ype of misfortune which super Scot Micky Yule faced down.
Yule will be taking part in the Paralympic powerl i f t ing in Birmingham.
It will be his third – and last – Games. Having come fourth in Glasgow and the Gold Coast, he’s confident he can claim a gold medal at the third time of asking.
It would be a just reward for an inspirational figure who has been to hell and back but used sport to help rebuild his life.
Twelve years ago this month he was in Afghanistan for a second tour of duty as a staff sergeant with the Royal Engineers when, on pat rol in the Helmand Province, he stepped on a Taliban land mine. The explosion nearly killed him. As it was, he lost both his legs, had his arms broken and his pelvis smashed. He was in a coma for 10 days before spending two months in hospital and the next two-and-a-half years in rehab.
Micky had undergone over 70 operations before eventual ly calling a halt to surgery himself.
As a soldier, weightlifting had been a hobby but, as he fought his way back to health, he found an escape in it. Yule revealed: “It was only after powerl i f ting was introduced at the London Olympics [in 2012] that I thought there might be a way forward for me.
“I had always been strong so I began f inding out how I could become involved and what guidance I could receive.
“After it was included in Glasgow in 2014, I was lucky enough to be paired with my coach, Neil Crosby, who still works with me.
“I never considered competing
in the Army – I only ever did it then to keep fit. I’d no aspirations to do anything else. I wasn’t thinking about Afghanistan, my injuries or anything else. It also helped because it made me push myself.
“Now I’m back to trying to be the guy I was before.”
Yet Micky admits that – with no disrespect to Brummies – the city isn’t one of his favourite places.
He said: “It takes a lot to get me to go back there. When I was injured the hospital I was flown back to was in the city so I’ve always associated Birmingham with quite bad memories. I could do with changing that around.
“I’ve only ever gone there before to have work done so at least on this occasion I knownow I can visit withouthout someone wantingnting to cut me open.”en.”
Now Yulee – who won goldd at the Euros in 2015 and the Invictusctus
Games the following year as well as a bronze at the 2020 Paralympics in Tokyo – is hoping he can stay injury free and finally claim a medal at these Games.
He said: “I’d gone into the previous two confident and in good form so I feel as though I’m cursed when it comes to the Commonwealth Games because I had to sit back and watch others take my medals with their final lifts.
“Even so, I’m optimistic that as long as I don’t pick up any niggles, I should have a chance.
“Back in April I m a t c h e d my personal best – which I’d set f ive years earlier – by lifting 195lbs. If I can repeat that or better it then I should be among the medals.”