37-Year-Old Paralympian Eyes Sixth Games After Gold Win
David Phillipson is racing toward his sixth Paralympic Games at age 37, switching from wheelchair tennis to paracanoe and dominating the sport. The five-time Paralympian from Bingham is defending his world title this month before what could be his final Olympic journey in LA 2028.
A world champion paddler from Nottinghamshire is proving that Olympic dreams don't have an expiration date.
David Phillipson, 37, will defend his world title in paracanoe kayak racing later this month in Poland. The athlete from Bingham is doing more than chasing medals—he's showing younger competitors what dedication looks like across nearly two decades of Paralympic competition.
Phillipson's Olympic journey started in 2008 at Beijing, where he competed in wheelchair tennis. He returned to tennis at London 2012 and Rio 2016 before making a remarkable switch to paracanoe for Tokyo 2020 and Paris 2024.
Now he's eyeing LA 2028 as his potential final Games. "It might possibly be my last one, so I'm looking to go to the Paralympics and medal again," Phillipson said.
The upcoming World Championships in Poznan run from August 26-30, where Phillipson will race 200 meters in the KL2 category. He knows exactly where he needs to improve to stay on top.
"My starts are really strong and that's where I'm dominant," he explained. "It's the back end of races which catch me out, so I've been training over and over for that."
Phillipson joins a powerhouse British team that includes Paris 2024 champions Charlotte Henshaw and Emma Wiggs, plus silver medalists Hope Gordon and Jack Eyers. The depth of talent pushes everyone higher.
Why This Inspires
What makes Phillipson's story shine isn't just the medals. It's his approach to longevity in elite sports while mentoring the next generation.
"There's a few youngsters coming up and I'm happy to encourage them," he said. Rather than viewing new talent as threats, he sees opportunities to lift others up.
His success also highlights the crucial role of support systems. "Without UK Sport and The National Lottery, I wouldn't be able to race full time," Phillipson acknowledged.
The memory of winning gold still catches him by surprise sometimes. "It was a surreal moment," he reflected. "It felt like everything paid off and that I had done everything right in the lead up."
As he prepares for Poznan, Phillipson keeps his approach simple: one race at a time, one improvement at a time, building toward what could be a perfect farewell in Los Angeles.
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Based on reporting by Google: Paralympic champion
This story was written by BrightWire based on verified news reports.
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