Profile

My name is Ian Marsden. I was a member of the British Powerlifting Team for a number of years, and this is an account of my sporting career from when I was an able bodied competitor to becoming a wheelchair athlete.

When I was able bodied I won my first title at the British Open Powerlifting Championships in 1989. This started a major chain of wins, holding British and European titles, and breaking all the records for the teenage and junior classes.

My best achievement was in the World Championships in 1992 where I won the World and European title; and smashed three World, four European and six British records. I was also named best lifter, and also received a special commendation from the Sports Council for my achievements over the years.

I suffered a spinal injury, which resulted in me becoming wheelchair bound. Since then I dreamed of competing at international level again and discovered handcycling. This enables wheelchair bound athletes to cycle at high speeds in specially-designed handcycles. These use upper body power and arm strength to steer and race the bikes.

I have raced handbikes internationally for over seven years now, representing Great Britain on many occasions. Handcycling is becoming biggest disabled sport in the world, and is growing fast in the United Kingdom. In the UK Handcyclists race under the British Cycling Federation and UCI rules. There is also the United kingdom Handcycling Association (UKHCA). This well-established organisation is also part of the British Cycling Federation.

Handcycling is very big in Europe, and has its own European Handcycling Circuit (EHC). This circuit consists usually of 10 races around Europe, and you will often see over 150 riders on the start line. The riders consist of male and female, and has many different classifications depending on the riders disability.

I compete annually in the EHC races, and have ridden for a Czech Based Team for the past 5 years consisting of a Paralympic Gold medallist Marcel Pipeck. I have been consistently in the top 5 riders on the European Circuit in the C Division. One of my best results came in Milan in 2007 when I came 3rd in the World Handcycling Federation World Championships. This was the first time a rider from the UK had been on the Podium in a World Championships and EHC race. This success continued later in the same year when I won the British EHC race which was part of the opening of the Tour de France in London.

I have also been voted Disabled sports person of the year for the past 5 years by Stoke On Trent City council. I also won overall Male sports personality beating the able bodied athletes.

I am now Number One in the UK, winning the National Time Trial Championships and gaining the National Leader's Jersey for the second consecutive year. Also winning many other UK races including the Grand prix series: ten gruelling road races and time trials around the UK.

I also compete in Disabled Powerlifting again, this consist of the Bench Press element of the sport. I WON my first International Paralympic Commity (IPC) UK Championships in January 2009 at Cardiff.

This success gained me a place in the GB 2012 Paralympic Powerlifting Team for athletes working towards the London Paralympics. Being part of the team consists of attending training camps every two weeks, one being a Cluster camp and the other a Squad camp for the Paralympic Team Only. I ve had to work very hard to get back into International Powerlifting again. It had been 16 years since I was on a bench lifting weights. The next big competiton in Powerlifting will the IPC European Championships, which were to be held in December 2009 but have been put back until early 2010.

I was taken into Hospital for a while at the end of last year. When I went into North Staffs Hospital for what I thought was a prolapse on my neck I found out a lot more. I’ve been diagnosed with a rare Motor Neurone condition which affects my legs, brain and now arms. It took 12 neurologists to find out what was wrong and every test under the sun.

I am no longer doing competitive Handcycling and cannot Powerlift due to the muscle loss in my arm and I’ve lost most of my power now.

But when I was in Hospital I had a plan in case it all went wrong like it has, I did some reading and made a few contacts about Paralympics 10 meter target Air Rifle shooting. When I left Hospital I started training at Rugeley Rifle club who have helped me a lot. I did my first comp and won my class, due to this I was talent spotted by the GB Paralympics Team and was asked to join the 2012 Fast Track Talent Programme in London.

I have just been back into hospital and had an operation where a plate has been attached to my spine to fuse two segments together. When you look at the side view of the Xray (middle picture) you can see 3 white dots at the bottom of the plate thats attached to my spine which shows the surgeons etc. that I have a carbon cage attached which covers the plate and fusion which I had done. The carbon cage has to be see through so the plate and fuse etc. can be seen. The carbon cage helps support the spine and work done by the surgeon.

I rely on the goodwill and sponsorship of local companies and private supporters and hope that you will follow my success in future events. Please visit the other sections on this website to learn about my events and sponsors. If you'd like to become a sponsor, I'd love to hear from you. Contact info@ianmarsden.com