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Watch: Raising a Paralympic gold medallist - parents of Highland paracyclist Fin Graham say ‘don’t focus on the disability’





Fin Graham gets a hug from his parents, Dee and Drew, after coming over the finish line to win gold at the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games. Picture: SWPix.
Fin Graham gets a hug from his parents, Dee and Drew, after coming over the finish line to win gold at the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games. Picture: SWPix.

The array of cycling shirts on hangers on his wall in the family home and display of medals are visible testament to the phenomenal achievements of paracyclist Fin Graham.

Another winning shirt is now set to be added to the collection after he won gold at the Paralympic Games in Paris.

Already the holder of two world titles and a silver medallist at the Tokyo Paralympics, Fin achieved his long-held dream after a nailbiting battle over the 71km course in the C1-C3 Road Race.

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Cheering him on in the crowd were proud parents, Drew and Dee, who have watched Fin grow and develop, undeterred by his disability from the moment he was born.

Drew and Dee Graham with their son's collection of cycling shirts from competitions around the world. Picture: James Mackenzie
Drew and Dee Graham with their son's collection of cycling shirts from competitions around the world. Picture: James Mackenzie

Now back at home in Strathpeffer after an 1800-mile drive in their campervan from Paris, they re-live the moment Fin clinched gold.

Drew, principal teacher of the deaf at Dingwall Academy, recalls how the mood of the surrounding French spectators became somewhat deflated while he and Dee along with their friends started to cheer.

”It was total relief, pride, a real mixture of emotions,” says Dee, a clinical skills facilitator with NHS Highland.

Getting gold represents the pinnacle so far of Fin’s story - a story which began 25 years ago later this month when he was born with bilateral talipes, more commonly known as club feet, which left him with no calf muscle and little to no movement in his ankles.

Aged just 13 weeks, he underwent surgery on both legs and although he had to wear full length plaster, it did not dampen Fin’s happy nature.

Dee, a paediatric nurse at the time, vaguely wondered what it might mean in the future but certainly she and Drew were never alarmed and carried on with the job of being parents to Fin - and subsequently his younger brother, Rory, 21 months later.

“We never saw it as a disability,” says Drew. “That word was never used.

“I didn’t think it would get in the way - in terms of when he wanted to do football, wanted to go on a bike, wanted to go skiing.”

In a revealing moment years later when having caught the attention of British Cycling’s para-cycling programme aged 17, Fin renewed his membership of the organisation and found himself in quandary over the question about whether he had a disability.

Although his instinct was to say no, he asked himself how could he be a paracyclist and not have a disability.

Dee cites the words of another disabled sportswoman who said: “I don’t see myself as disabled - I see myself as having a different ability.”

Getting a taste for cycling as toddler on the back his mum's bike.
Getting a taste for cycling as toddler on the back his mum's bike.

Reminiscing on his early years, she recalls Fin was late in starting to walk - taking his first steps aged 18 months on Mother’s Day - and that he learned to ride a bike aged four while on a camping holiday in France.

With Drew and Dee being keen cyclists, their boys naturally took up mountain biking with a friendly sibling rivalry developing between the pair.

Fin has always enjoyed sport and competition, according to Dee who recalls him as a toddler cheering on tennis player Tim Henman on the TV.

He also loves football, is a Manchester United supporter and an avid X-Box player.

At school he was always last in the running races but was always good humoured, says Dee who believes strongly that schools should provide diversity of competitive events for those with different abilities and skills.

Fin enjoyed mountain biking as a youngster.
Fin enjoyed mountain biking as a youngster.

As Fin started to take cycling seriously, he did the Strathpuffer, the gruelling 24-hour mountain bike challenge, while in 2008, he was inspired at the sight of Olympic athletes parading through London on their return from the Beijing games and the Paralympics in Rio in 2016 spurred him on further.

But with no mountain biking in paracycling he turned to new disciplines including road racing.

After leaving Dingwall Academy, he worked as a part-time retail assistant in Inverness earning £4 an hour.

Such was his commitment and determination in pursuing his cycling dream, he travelled to the Glasgow Velodrome one day a week to train due to the lack of facilities in the Highlands.

Often he would take the train but on other occasions, his parents drove him to the three-hour training sessions, resulting in thousands of miles being notched up on the family car.

Destined for glory - young Fin steps on to the podium's top spot during a family outing to Bught Park.
Destined for glory - young Fin steps on to the podium's top spot during a family outing to Bught Park.

The couple, who remain modest about their own role, insist they have not made sacrifices and were in a privileged position to help.

“It is what you do for you kids to help them achieve whatever they are aiming to do,” Drew says.

That said, there was a critical point where Fin turned to an online funding appeal and the couple pay tribute to the local businesses and supporters who have helped Fin in his journey.

“There was real community support behind him which helped us in a way,” Dee says.

Along the way, they have seen at first hand Fin’s triumphs and battles.

On what was his 18th birthday, he was admitted to Raigmore Hospital after becoming seriously unwell and was subsequently diagnosed with systematic lupus erythrematosis – more commonly known as lupus – a disease in which the body’s immune system mistakenly attacks healthy tissue in many parts of the body.

Such was the severity of his condition, including the impact on his kidneys and lungs, that his family wondered whether he would be able to return to competitive cycling.

But he confounded everyone by getting back in the saddle, going on to scoop a silver medal in the UCI Manchester Para-cycling International competition.

Fin Graham and his parents, Dee and Drew, celebrate after he came over the finish line to win gold at the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games. Picture: SWPix.
Fin Graham and his parents, Dee and Drew, celebrate after he came over the finish line to win gold at the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games. Picture: SWPix.

Since then they have seen him notch up more titles.

But there was huge disappointment, too, in Paris when he came sixth in the individual time trial - one of his worst results in several years.

“It was a bit of a shock result,” says Drew who was impressed with Fin’s thought-provoking post on social media which stated: “Sometimes you are the hammer and some days you are the nail and today I was definitely the nail. That’s sport for ya!

“Legs just didn’t turn up today but sometimes that happens!”

It was a measure of Fin’s determination and analytical approach that he put it behind him to focus on going for gold although the couple revealed they found it stressful watching the event - until he came over the finish line.

Asked what it is within Fin which has made him a cycling champion, Drew replies: “His deep self-belief.

“He just believes he is where he should be.”

Drew and Dee Graham on their bikes. Picture: James Mackenzie
Drew and Dee Graham on their bikes. Picture: James Mackenzie

They have advice for other parents of children with a disability and an interest in sport.

“Don’t focus on the disability,” Drew says.

“Believe in your child and don’t wrap them in cotton wool.

“Give them experiences. Let them try stuff. Let them fall over and pick them back up.

“Help them to explore and find what it is they love and believe in them and back them to give it a go.”

Dee adds: “Don’t let your fears and concerns get in the way.

“Just try to put them to one side and let them make their own path.”


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