About Me

What made me so successful?

Early years

I was born in Paris in 1965, with arms that end at the elbow and no legs. From that moment, my parents were determined I should have the best upbringing I could. They let me fall and they let me discover so I would find my limits. As it turns out, I haven’t found any yet.

I went to school, I got a job, I competed in two Paralympic Games and I’ve never allowed myself to step away from anything simply because of my body.

My parents instilled in me a core belief: It’s not my body that limits me, I know I’m capable of anything, but the environment that I live in. So from a very young age I learnt that I would have to become adaptable and determined in my approach to life.

When I first announced I was going to drive, a friend of a friend, who was a driving instructor, told me I would never be able to drive – so I set out to prove him wrong. I did.

With my parents, Penny and Les

Paralympic Gold at Barcelona '92

Swimming

My swimming journey began in the 1970s when my school recommended I take it up for all-round exercise. It was clear that my upper body would have to be my strongest asset so I began to use the school pool and quickly discovered that I floated very well. I suppose you could have called me ‘Bob’.

Swimming became a sanctuary for me and once I began to swim competitively at the age of 10 it wasn’t just about beating other people. It was about beating people’s expectations.

In 1984 I was scouted by the GB Paralympic squad and asked to join them – but I didn’t have a coach. I didn’t even have access to a pool. By coincidence, I got a job working at the Royal Military Academy in Sandhurst where I was allowed to use the swimming pool. By another happy coincidence, they hired a manager, Mike Gibson, who was a qualified swimming coach. He approached me to ask if he could be my coach, and between us we created a plan to help get me to the Seoul Paralympic Games in 1988.

It wasn’t until the Barcelona Paralympics in 1992 arrived that I really proved what I could do. I won 3 Gold medals and set 3 world records. Not bad for a guy with no legs, half arms and a coach who’d never trained someone with limbs missing before.

Swimming Timeline

2001 - Swam in the IPC European Swimming Championships, Sweden
1995 - Member of British Swim Team - winners of the Disability European Swimming Championships, France
1994 - British Swim Team Captain - winners of the Disability World Swimming Championships, Malta
1992 - Winner of three Gold medals (all with World Records) in the Barcelona Paralympics in the 50m backstroke and freestyle and 100m freestyle
1991 - Winner of three Gold medals in the 50m backstroke, 50m and 100m freestyle at the Disabled European Swimming Championships, Spain
1988 - Four fourths as member of the British Swim Team for the Seoul Paralympics
1980s-90s - National Junior and Senior Short Course Champion in 25, 50 and 100 metres backstroke and freestyle

Peter Hull

Did you know?

I have a marble statue, by the artist Marc Quinn. But be warned, I don’t have any clothes on. I don’t care, I want to see it - take me to it!
I appeared on a Nike poster advertising the London Marathon – view the poster (yes, my clothes are on)
I’ve completed 12 marathons and 18 half marathons
In 1991 I was awarded an MBE for Services to Disability Sport
I’ve done a skydive
I was a Man of the Year in 1985 after my participation in the London Marathon
At the Seoul Paralympics, a South Korean journalist thought that I swam with my ears. For the record, I use my arms
My 3 World Records stood for 8 years

I shared a room with Peter Hull, to this day one of the most inspirational people I have ever met. Pete has no legs and no forearms, and it was an education when he explained to me that he has an impairment – it’s only his environment that makes him disabled.
Giles Long MBE, Paralympic Gold medallist & LEXI creator.