Join AUS Squad
Back To NewsTim Hodge came fifth in the men’s 200 metres individual medley SM9 at the Rio 2016 Paralympics. At Tokyo 2020, he won the silver medal. From then on, in his pet race, he was basically racing the clock.
After winning relay gold earlier in the meet, Hodge broke through at Paris 2024 to win his first individual Paralympic gold medal in the event he has made his own.
His time of 2:13.31 was more than a second outside his world record but, it was a new Paralympic Games record which, fittingly, eclipsed the time set 16 years earlier by Matthew Cowdrey, the Australian Para-swimming great who has so inspired Hodge to continually improve.
“It’s a bit of a pinch-me moment,” Hodge told Nine.
“This has been so long in the making. My coach and I have worked so, so hard at this.
“The hardest thing about being world champion and world record holder is that you’ve got no one to chase, so everything you’ve got to do to improve is stuff that no one has ever done before.
“You’ve got to do things that either people can’t do or won’t do, and you’ve got to do it day in and day out to stay on top.
“So, my coach and I have been working really hard at making sure we do the impossible, so when we get to this stage, the impossible becomes possible.”
Enjoyed this read? Recap Gold Medal No.14 here
By: David Sygall
Published: 27 December 2024
