An armed forces veteran has hailed the London 2012 Games as his inspiration for becoming a four-time Paralympic cycling gold medallist as he was made an OBE.
Jaco van Gass, from Sale, Greater Manchester, sustained life-changing injuries, including losing his left arm below the elbow, after being hit by a rocket-propelled grenade while serving in Afghanistan in 2009.
He has since gone on to compete for Great Britain in cycling at countless international events, including at the Tokyo 2020 and Paris 2024 Games where he won two gold medals in both the individual pursuit and mixed team sprint.
The 38-year-old, who was born in South Africa, was made an OBE for his services to the sport by the Prince of Wales at Windsor Castle on Wednesday after being recognised in the New Year Honours.
Van Gass said he was in the middle of his armed forces resettlement when the Olympic and Paralympic Games were being hosted in London.
He told the PA news agency: “I actually lived in a in a flat right opposite one of the sports arenas – it was the shooting arena (in Woolwich).
“But I also had the privilege of being a torch bearer, so I was just immediately captured in the atmosphere and the buzz around the Olympics and the Paralympics.
“I then went and watched a few of the sports, and I was just blown away. It was just so incredible.”
Van Gass said he was amazed by the professionalism and the standards of the Paralympic events in 2012 and that this “keeps getting harder and better” in the subsequent Games.
After missing out on the final team for the Rio 2016 Games, he went on win two gold and one bronze medal at Tokyo 2020 before successfully defending his titles and smashing his own world record in Paris last year.
His victory in the C3 3000m individual pursuit event in Paris came just days after he collided with a car and was taken to hospital with head and knee injuries.
Asked which of his gold medals stood out the most, Van Gass said: “Coming away from Tokyo, everyone did say ‘Can you actually back yourself up and do it again?’
“So between that, and knowing that we’d have crowds back, that was enough of a motivator for me to pursue Paris, and then to defend my title [and] better my world record.
“And then having my wife and family and friends in Paris, I would say that’s probably the one that stands out for me the most, because that just felt like a full sense of completion.”
Prior to joining the development team at British Cycling, he also competed at the inaugural Invictus Games, which was founded by the Duke of Sussex, in London in 2014.
Asked how important the event had become for armed forces personnel, Van Gass said it gave competitors “that lease of life to then continue being a better person”.
He said: “It gives everyone a reason to wake up in the morning and to train, it gives them a sense of fulfilment, it gives them a sense of being and belonging again.
“It’s not a military environment, but it’s it’s got all those people that have served in the military, that have gone through trauma in different ways, and people can just relate.
“Suddenly, you see these people with big smiles on their faces and being able to talk to people that actually fully understand them.”
Van Gass described being made an OBE as a “great privilege”, and said he spoke with William about whether he would compete at next year’s Commonwealth Games in Glasgow.
“I said if the hunger and the passion are still there, then we’ll push on.”
The cyclist advised any injured or disabled armed forces personnel to try as many sports as possible and to “just go and enjoy it”.
“There was so many sports that I didn’t think was possible with an injury and I was proven wrong. There’s always a way to adapt around something,” he added.
Southgate reveals Prince William’s inspiring dressing-room message to England squad
Jack Draper, Coco Gauff and Emma Raducanu among 10 to watch at Wimbledon
George Turner relishing return to Scotland fold as milestone appearance looms
Emma Raducanu v Maya Joint live: Latest score and updates from Eastbourne
Transfers: Liverpool out to hijack Gyokeres to Arsenal as United make Mbeumo move
England U21 v Netherlands live: Latest team news and updates from Euros semi-final
