COOMBS Krysten

Classification
SH6 (BWF, 31 Mar 2020)

Type of Impairment
Short stature (bwfpara.tournamentsoftware.com, 04 Nov 2018)

General
OCCUPATION
He has worked for Swedish furniture chain Ikea, and took a career break when he started receiving funding to play Para badminton. "Before I was funded, I was working at Ikea part-time and loved the team there. Part of their system is that people can take a career break, which I've done. It was really helpful. I really enjoyed the physical work involved, so the possibility of returning to the team and building a career there is something I've thought of. I have had generous funding from UK Sport, which has been really helpful and a real game-changer. I'd been self-funding since I first started going to international tournaments in 2008, so trying to balance training with work was difficult and the funding has made a huge difference to that. Now I can focus on badminton full-time and it is my actual job." (LinkedIn profile, 01 Nov 2020; badmintoneurope.com, 07 Oct 2020)

PARALYMPIC MOVE
In November 2016 he moved to Sheffield, England, after badminton was added to the programme for the Paralympic Games. The move also meant he was closer to his coach, as well as his doubles partner Jack Shephard. "The inclusion of badminton at the Tokyo Paralympics gave me direction, there's something to go for now. It's good being able to go to world and European championships but to be able to go to the Paralympics is the biggest and most amazing thing you can do. I moved up to Sheffield last November [2016] for my badminton because my doubles partner Jack Shephard lives up here and so does my coach - it all made sense to do it and it's made a big difference." (bbc.co.uk, 19 Aug 2019; activityalliance.oeg.uk, 17 Nov 2017)

TELEVISION APPERANCE
In 2014 he appeared in an episode of the television show Games of Thrones. (badmintoneurope.com, 07 Oct 2020)