Big Obstacles And Endless Opportunities With Para Triathlete Josh Landmann

Josh Landmann: Para-Alpine Slalom Competitor, Para-athlete

Meet the Josh Landmann who broke a Guinness World Record and has his sights on the Paralympics 2020

In 2014, Josh’s life drastically changed after a holiday to Ibiza. He dived into the pool of his holiday accommodation and unfortunately hit his head on the bottom of the pool. Josh, fortunately, managed to get out of the pool but soon realized that he was left partially paralyzed from the chest down.

He had sustained a spinal cord injury after breaking his neck and doctors believed that he would not walk again. However, Josh defied the odds and after a series of surgeries and rehabilitation, he was, fortunately, able to regain some movement in his legs.

He spent half a year in hospital undergoing rehabilitation to the point where he regained feeling in his arms and was able to operate a wheelchair. Josh, who had always been heavily involved in a range of sports, decided early on that he would focus his energy on disability sports.

“I used to ski quite a lot with my parents and friends,” he said. “Skiing was the first thing I wanted to do. “A year post-injury I went to Poland and learned how to sit-ski.”

After returning to the UK, Josh was spotted training in Manchester by a Team GB coach and within the year had traveled to take part in a Paralympic committee skiing event. His talent for skiing was ultimately proven when he competed at the Giant Slalom in 2017 and claimed the title of British Slalom Champion (LW12-1 Para-Alpine).

But due to a lack of funding, Josh was forced to give up the sport when it became too expensive to continue with.

“I wanted something I could hop out of my front door and do,” he added. “I got into triathlon in 2017 through a local foundation called Ben Trend Get Involved. I used to play rugby with Ben’s brother, he and his parents set up the foundation after he died to help local sportspeople. “I messaged the British triathlon team and was invited to Loughborough for a testing weekend. It all took off from there really.”

He competed in the 2018 British Triathlon Championships, where he excelled in the swimming portion of the triathlon and claimed the bronze medal. Josh also managed to claim a Guinness World Record, completing the fastest marathon in a non-racing wheelchair with a time of 3 hours, 18 minutes, and 59 seconds.

Josh is determined to make the selection for the 2020 Tokyo Paralympic Games and has committed himself to a strict training regime. Another dream of Josh’s is to compete at the 2022 Winter Paralympic Games in Beijing, competing in his other beloved sport of sit-skiing.

Helping others affected by spinal cord injuries is one of Josh’s biggest passions, raising awareness and funding for a number of spinal injury charities. In a further bid to raise awareness of the injury, Josh appeared on The Ellen Show and also competed in a Tough Mudder race.

“There are so many people who do great things that don’t get recognized,” he said. “The list helps people with so many different life experiences to realize that other people have gone through similar things.” “I think if you put your mind to it you can achieve great things.”

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