Richard Whitehead MBE

Born and raised in Nottingham in the UK with a double through- knee congenital amputation, I developed a passion for sport at an early age. My parents encouraged me to participate in sports and taught me to live a life without limits. 

In 2004 I dreamt of running a marathon and signed up for the New York Marathon, having never run a mile. Spurred on by the death of my best friend Simon whom we had lost to an aggressive  form of bone cancer and also by amputee Terry Fox who had died from a similar bone cancer before completing his own running challenge across Canada, I knew I wanted to run to challenge myself and to raise awareness and funds for Sarcoma.  At the time, I had no prosthetic running legs and was running on my knees using sports cups which was extremely gruelling and painful. At the 11th hour only 13 days before the New York Marathon, Ossur heard about my story and fitted me with my first running blades and I successfully completed my first marathon. 

Driven by a desire to compete in sport as a professional athlete on the world stage and push boundaries, I  was selected for the ParalympicsGB  team as a sledge hockey player at the 2006 Winter Paralympic Games in Turin.  

Having experienced the pride of representing my country, when news of London 2012 broke I was keen to compete in the marathon on home soil. To  my great disappointment I was told by the IPC that my disability was not eligible to compete and despite writing to complain about this lack of equality they refused to allow me to race. 

Undeterred, I set about re-training and set my sights on competing in the T42 200 metre category as part of the ParalympicsGB team.  As I crossed the line winning Gold I looked to the sky and dedicated my win to my friend Simon who had always supported and believed in me. 

Following London 2012, I retained my Gold medal at Rio 2016, also winning Silver in the T42 100m.  I have also achieved  four World Championship titles in 200m.   

 In 2019 I captained the team at the Dubai Para-Athletic World Championships, and achieved silver in the  postponed 2021 Paralympic Games in Tokyo, in T61 200m.

Following  the euphoria of running my first marathon in New York, I've gone on to compete in many marathons around the world, achieving World Champion and World Record status in the full and half marathon. An achievement I am incredibly proud of.   

I love the camaraderie of the events, how they embrace all ages, all cultures, and all abilities. I think running as an athlete living with a disability enables people to see that anything is possible, if you believe in yourself. 

In 2013 following my success at the London 2012 Games, I wanted to use my increased profile for good.  With support from my team, friends and family and  sponsors, I completed a 40 Marathons in 40 Days challenge from John O'Groats to Lands End, raising money for Sarcoma UK and Scope charities.

Since then, I have gone on to run a total of 80 marathons around the world, and in March 2024 achieved a World Record for athletes with bilateral knee amputations at the TCS London Marathon.

Training and working hard throughout the year, I smashed my own record, running the Chicago Marathon in 2:41:36 in October.

And in November 2024, I was delighted to be inducted into the England Athletes Hall of Fame.

2025...it's going to be epic!

Despite my achievements on the track and the road, for me winning isn't just about the medals.  I believe strongly in the power of sport as a great unifier and leveller.  

Sport has the ability to unite people and to create joy, whether you are a participant or spectator and its benefits shouldn't be under estimated. 

As well as the physical benefits sport brings, it equally supports positive well being and good mental health. I'm passionate about raising awareness and advocating these values, and the critical importance of inclusion within organisations locally and nationally, at events, and across schools and sports clubs.

I use my time to encourage others to have a positive mindset and to give back to their community.  Whilst I have a physical disability, my life is rich in so many other ways and as a president to my own charity and patron of other, I encourage others to think about what they do have, not what they don't and to think about how they can help others and make a difference.  In today's society so many are consumed with their own needs and wants and we need to focus on supporting those less fortunate.

Giving my time to encourage disabled and able bodied people to have greater belief in themselves, to challenge themselves to live a fulfilling life and reach new goals is extremely rewarding. 

As a key figure in sport, I am keen to use my profile to work with governing bodies and young people to ensure the legacy our generation of disabled athletes has worked so hard to establish continues. I want everyone to be given greater opportunities to be involved in sport and wellness activities, ensuring inclusion and positively throughout.