DAVIES Aled

Classification
F42 (IPC, 10 Feb 2021)

Type of Impairment
Impaired range of motion (bbc.co.uk, 08 Jan 2016)

Origin of Impairment
Congenital (bbc.co.uk, 08 Jan 2016)

Impairment Details
He has limited movement in his right leg as he is missing bones and has no muscle or articulation from foot to hip. He wears a leg brace while competing. (dai-sport.com, 30 Jan 2019; aleddavies-f42.co.uk, 11 Jan 2015; Athlete, 07 Dec 2010)

General
COVID-19 IMPACT
During the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 he constructed a makeshift throwing facility in his back garden. "When everything was announced that everything was closing I panicked because I was like, 'How am I going to train for this in my back garden?' That was the problem we had. I quickly resourced everything I could. I've got two big apple trees in my garden, I tied a cargo net between them, reinforced it with some steel and it takes a good impact from the shot. It's not ideal but it was better than nothing and it was enough to help me tick over and not get too rusty." (bbc.co.uk, 29 Jan 2021; 218 Events YouTube channel, 06 Nov 2020)

FATHERHOOD
He says that becoming a father for the first time in 2019 gave him renewed motivation for competition. "[Fatherhood is] the only motivation you need. I don't do this for me now - I've achieved everything I've wanted to achieve. Golds at every tournament and world records, so if I can keep on dominating as long as possible and show that beautiful little girl how it is done, then that's great." (athleticsweekly.com, 10 Nov 2019)

NEW LEG BRACE
The leg brace he wears to compete broke twice while he was competing at the 2018 European Championships in Berlin, Germany, and had to be taped up mid-competition. He has since started using a different type of brace. "We've been struggling to find the correct one; to be back where we were when I was throwing my furthest. It's the hardest part for me. A lot of people don't realise how frustrating it is when I'm physically ready to go and I know I'm hitting all my targets, I'm stronger and quicker than ever. I know I'm in shape to throw big. I'm wearing an orthotic that weighs 12 kilos now, which is about two stone. Having that extra weight on has been tough to get used to, but it's working and we're finally moving in the right direction." (dai-sport.com, 30 Jan 2019)

POST-GAMES DEPRESSION
He won his second Paralympic gold medal at the 2016 Games in Rio de Janeiro, but found it difficult to get back into a routine once he returned to the United Kingdom. He later revealed that he had experienced depression, and that he had considered quitting the sport in 2017. "I just really struggled, everything was perfect but I seemed very unhappy and I got myself into a rut that I couldn't get out of. It has opened up my mind to mental health and I'm all for raising awareness of it now. I can't stress enough how important it is to talk to people. It's okay to talk, you're not weak." (bbc.com, 23 Feb 2018; paralympic.org, 16 May 2017; bbc.co.uk, 08 Oct 2019)