Paris: Dan Greaves once competed in the same team as British athletics legend Mo Farah but whilst the latter is now retired the discus thrower is bidding for a national record-extending seventh successive Paralympics medal in Paris.
At “the grand old age of 41” and with a gold, two silvers and three bronzes he embodies the advice he was once given by a coach “success isn’t final, failure isn’t fatal, it’s the courage to continue that counts”.
Greaves competes in the F64 category — for field athletes with moderately affected movement in one or both legs or the absence of limbs.
And he is attempting to dethrone Jeremy Campbell of the United States, his great rival and the man who he told AFP along with him has taken the event to new heights.
However, in 2001 he was selected along with four-time Olympic champion Farah and Goldie Sayers, who was to win javelin Olympic bronze in Beijing in 2008, to take on the United States in a Under 20 international match.
It came a year after he had won silver in the Sydney Paralympics, qualifying to compete due to suffering from the foot deformity talipes (club foot).
“I speak to Goldie now and again,” he told AFP.
“People like to say they competed with the first Paralympian to appear in an able bodied competition for Britain.
“Some of that team say to me they cannot believe ‘you are still going’ when in their early 20s they gave up after being a junior.
“I look back and see they had a different life for the last 20 years which is fine as everyone picks their own path.
“This sport has been very kind to me, I have made friends and been up against some tough competitors
“It has kept me motivated.”
‘Self worth’
Another motivating factor for Greaves is Campbell, four years his junior, and a three-time Paralympic discus champion (he also won the pentathlon title in 2008).
“Jeremy Campbell came out of the woodwork in 2008,” said Greaves, who was the defending champion in Beijing.
“He is a friend now but I hated him then.
“I had not taken my foot off the gas and I was unbeaten for eight years (since taking silver in Sydney in 2000).
“I went in good shape but did not execute and came third, it was a real kick in the teeth.”
Greaves, though, absorbed the blow and used it constructively to spur him into better performances.
“It sparked me into pushing myself on, and the sport as well, throwing close to 60 metres when I won the 2011 world championships (59.98 metres a world record at the time).
“Here it will take high 50’s low 60’s to get a medal and Jeremy and I have been the vehicle for that.
“I am sure when he gets out of bed every morning he thinks what am I doing and I am the same.”
One of the things that most pleases Greaves in being still competitive is his two children Henry, 7, and Matilda, 5, will be in the crowd at the Stade de France when he competes on September 5.
“I do everything for my kids and to make them understand to be successful you have to be dedicated and motivated,” he said.
“That you should never let go and always be aware of your self worth.
“They saw me come back from Tokyo with a medal which they absolutely loved but now they will be here in the crowd as they are old enough to understand what it is all about.”
Henry has followed in a family tradition of accompanying his dad to Aston Villa home games, just as Dan did his father, but is yet to accrue the old team strips Greaves has.
Indeed Greaves keeps those hidden away from his wife “in a bag in a cupboard and I am determined to keep them” although Henry has been a beneficiary of his squirrel like tendency.
“It is funny the Spanish team I supported back in the day, Barcelona, the shirt fits Henry aged seven,” said Greaves.
“Just as it fitted me when I was seven.”
