“We knew we would get the medals – we just didn’t know in what order!” begins Wayne Harrod, a former Soham soldier who lost his leg after being hit by an 11-ton tank several years ago.
After a year of hard work and training, he became one of three medal-winning Team GB cyclists at this year’s Invictus Games.
“We knew we were really strong and that’s how we felt all year,” he adds, talking from Sydney a few days after claiming the bronze medal in the men’s road cycling IRB2 time trial alongside Steve Sebburn – who achieved gold – and silver medal-winner Karl Allen-Dobson.
Having trained as a trio throughout the year, the former Colour Sergeant who left the army in 2011 after a 25-year career was confident that that they would be successful.
Despite having his leg crushed by a Spartan-tracked reconnaissance vehicle during an exercise on Salisbury Plain in 2001, Wayne was one of 22 British competitors in the UK cycling team.
Working with the support of various charities to start a new career as a gardener after leaving, Wayne soon felt that the time was right to take on another challenge.
His new passion for cycling led to selection for the Invictus Games, where fellow injured veterans and serving servicemen and women compete for their countries.
“To get the medal on the day was fantastic,” he says; “after a whole year’s worth of training, planning and discipline… it’s not just a time trial, it’s about teamwork and movement too.”
Having completed the race in three minute three seconds, he says “I did everything the coach asked.” Training together for more than a year, the three of them entered the competition with the right attitude: “We knew we would have a strong start and a good position as a UK team,” Wayne says.
“We did many different styles of training including turbo trainer, road training, indoor and outdoor. We’ve worked really closely with the coach and the whole event was planned.”
Before flying to Australia, the team at Cambridge University Hospital (CUH) NHS Foundation Trust, working in partnership with the Prosthetic and Orthotics provider Opcare, designed a custom-made prosthetic leg for Wayne.
Unlike other competitions though, Wayne, Karl and Steve only met the other competitors from the different countries on the day. “It’s the different nature of the beast,” he considers, having worked for the Commonwealth War Graves Commission, based at Cambridge City Cemetery, for the past six years.
“If you take away the injuries you know they are going to be really good riders as they are representing their country. “We knew it was going to be a hard event with really good riders but, after the last training camp, we felt that we were in a very strong position.
“I’ve known the other two guys for a year now; we know each other’s strong points and weak points. We warmed up together, trained together and even ate meals together.”
Before flying to Australia, the team at Cambridge University Hospital (CUH) NHS Foundation Trust, working in partnership with the Prosthetic and Orthotics provider Opcare, designed a custom-made prosthetic leg for Wayne.
And what would he say to those thinking of getting into a sport like cycling? “It doesn’t matter what your abilities are. If you want to clear your mind then cycling is one of the easiest sports.
“It gives you freedom, gets you outdoors and keeps you healthy.”
But what’s next now he’s become a medal-winner? “For me, personally, I’m going to get into the velodrome to do some track racing. At Christmas I’m competing in the international metre race in the C4 class and then the national championship in January in the same class.”
Before then, though, Wayne is taking a break. “I’ve got two weeks where I’m not going to touch a bike or train. I’m just getting to let my body recover.”
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