Episode
They Told Him He Was Too Old. Then He Won Paralympic Gold
- Podcast
- Men’s Health: Built For Life
- Published
- Jun 25, 2026
- Duration seconds
- 2742
- Processing state
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Summary
Paralympic gold medallist, marathon world record holder and disability inclusion advocate Richard Whitehead MBE joins Ben Shephard and Andrew Tracey on the Built For Life podcast. Born with a double through-knee congenital amputation, Richard has spent his life refusing to be limited by other people’s expectations. In this episode, he talks about being told he was ‘too old’ to make it as a sprinter, switching from marathon running to the 200m for London 2012, breaking a blade on the way to qualification, and the gold medal race that became one of the defining moments of the Paralympic Games. Richard also opens up on the marathon that changed his life, the worst blisters he’s ever had, the power of sport to break down barriers, why medals aren’t the real legacy, and how – at nearly 50 – he’s still getting faster and stronger. This is a conversation about resilience, inclusion, identity, purpose and why, in Richard’s words, we’re all ‘better together’. Want more from Men’s Health? Join the Men’s Health SQUAD for exclusive training plans, expert advice and tools to help you get stronger, faster – we’re with you every rep of the way. Visit www.menshealth.com/uk/mh-podcast Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices