Competition for the Paralympics 2024 is tougher than ever, the journey is long and arduous, made of successes and failures. Here one triathlete Josh Landmann explains what it takes after missing out by the narrowest of margins on a place in the Paralympic GB team, and how failure has helped propel him towards new goals.
Josh Landmann from Lancashire sustained a spinal cord injury ten years ago at the age of 20 when he mistakenly dived into the shallow end of a pool while on holiday in Ibiza with his friends, leaving him paralysed from the waist down. After intense rehabilitation and support from his friends and family, Josh has adapted to a new life in the world of sport.
Looking back on his experience, Josh said, “Life changed massively. I had planned my life out and what I wanted to do, and it all just changed completely. And now I’m a full-time athlete and competing internationally in para-triathlon!”
With six years of intense training behind him, in which he had to learn to use a hand bike and a racing chair, Josh this year tried out for Great Britain’s Paralympic team.
‘I was gutted not to make the team after six years of training but I’m not giving up on my Paralympic dreams.’
Taking the athletes’ top three results over the qualifying period, the top ten were offered a spot on the team. Heartbreakingly, Josh finished 11th. But while many would wallow in self-pity, Josh remains bright and optimistic.
“It’s a journey and I’m not going to think I have made all the biggest gains to be the best in the world in in six years. I wish I could but it’s just not realistic. Is it? So yeah, there’s plenty of time left.”
Like all para-athletes Josh has developed huge resilience born out of intense rehabilitation and a desire to rebuild his life and achieve things he never thought possible. He is currently doing about 20 to 22 hours of training a week, spread across swimming and is usually in the pool Monday to Friday every morning. Then about 10-11 hours of bike in a week.
“If I can apply myself how I’ve done this time but make improvements again. If I can implement those into my training, over the next few years. I don’t see why I can’t be medalling at Europeans and World Championships in the next few years.”
So, will Josh be watching the Paralympics event, despite the disappointment of not making the team? “Yeah, I’ll watch it,” he said, “I’ve got a lot of friends racing and I want to see them do well. By them doing well, it’s always good for our sport. So yeah, hopefully they bring some medals home.”
Josh is already planning his path to making the LA 2028 team, where he hopes to win a medal at his first Paralympic Games. In the meantime, there will be more training, more competitions, and more incredible sporting successes for Josh, all while he continues to run his disability-focused personal training company, The Accessible Coach, in Manchester.
Josh is passionate about helping other disabled people get into sport and became an ambassador for Spinal Injuries Association in 2018 after receiving help from the charity during his rehabilitation.
A spokesperson from Spinal Injuries Association said, “Josh is wonderfully supportive of people with spinal cord injuries and other disabilities and he works hard to make sport a more inclusive and accessible place. His positive approach to not making Team GB is just one of the reasons he is a fantastic role model for all of us. It is a great honour to have him as an ambassador for our charity and we are extremely proud of his commitment to all he does.
“While it would have been fantastic to see him at this year’s Paralympics, we have no doubts that his hard work and positive mental attitude will pay off and he will go on to other incredible sporting success.”
Read Josh Lanmann’s story here https://spinal.co.uk/this-is-joshs-story-sciad20/
