ABOUT THIS EPISODE
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Patreon: patreon.com/divebeyondsportpod In this episode, Chris Hunt Skelley MBE joins Dive Beyond Sport to share his journey as a para judo athlete, reflecting on competing under intense pressure, winning Paralympic medals, and the long-standing partnership with his coach, John, built on trust, shared leadership, and honest communication. Chris opens up about discovering he had oculocutaneous albinism as a teenager after years of worsening vision, light sensitivity, misdiagnosis, and being dismissed by doctors, which led to struggles with depression, anxiety, suicidal thoughts, and later PTSD, while judo became a source of purpose and resilience. He also discusses the mental-health challenges he faced ahead of Paris, the pressures of para-sport classification, severe injuries and rehabilitation, and why his Paris bronze medal ultimately meant more to him than his Tokyo gold. Beyond competition, Chris reflects on retirement, returning to visually impaired rugby, mentoring others, public speaking, and why true strength comes from asking for help. Show Notes • How does an athlete rebuild confidence after life-changing setbacks and long periods away from competition. • What does resilience really mean when your journey includes uncertainty, injury, and adversity beyond sport itself. • How can elite athletes maintain belief when progress feels slow and unpredictable. • What role does mindset play in adapting to challenges that completely change your perspective on life and performance. • How do athletes separate identity from results while navigating pressure and expectations. • What happens when gratitude becomes a driving force behind performance and personal growth. • How can sport create purpose, confidence, and opportunity beyond medals and achievements. • What lessons does Paralympic sport teach about perspective, adaptability, and mental strength. • How do athletes continue pushing boundaries while balancing wellbeing, ambition, and long-term goals. • What can Chris Hunt Skelley’s journey teach us about courage, resilience, and redefining success through adversity. Chapters 00:00 Introduction and Welcome 00:48 Paralympic Gold Mindset 03:58 Coach Bond and Trust 06:23 Athlete Led Coaching 08:45 Diagnosis and Early Struggles 11:31 Medical Dismissal and Crisis 13:58 Answers at Last 16:04 Judo as a Lifeline 19:03 Relapse and Classification Stress 23:56 Support Systems and Counseling 26:20 Injuries and Rapid Comebacks 31:08 Hip Dislocation to World Medal 34:55 Why Athletes Risk It 36:14 Stitches and determination 36:57 Risk reward mindset 39:43 Classification explained 41:18 System failures and reform 47:37 Cheating and fairness concerns 50:10 Weight class upheaval 53:06 Paris bronze redemption 56:56 Life after retirement 01:01:03 Men talking and strength 01:05:01 Humble and kind finale Subscribe to DIVE Beyond Sport Podcast for weekly episodes diving into athlete stories, mindset, and motivation. Listen on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/dive-beyond-sport/id1832706678 Listen on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/67pX07qo2f6AZTxOERShpn?si=95b0803ce82642a7 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/divebeyondsportpod Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/divebeyondsportpod TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@divebeyondsportpod YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@DIVEBeyondSportPod Follow the Guest and Hosts on Instagram: Chris Hunt Skelley: https://www.instagram.com/christopher.skelley Freddie Woodward: https://www.instagram.com/freddie_woodward Yona Knight-Wisdom: https://www.instagram.com/yonakw
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