Tokyo 100m T38 champion missed out on a 2024 Paralympics podium by the narrowest of margins as he wishes coach was there for pre-race support
Thomas Young first burst on to the scene at 18 years old, capturing gold in both the T38 100m and 200m at the 2018 Para European Championships in Berlin. Building on that early success, he claimed Paralympic gold in Tokyo at just 21 and then began to prepare for a title defence in Paris.
However, on Saturday (August 31), the 23-year-old narrowly missed out on a 100m podium finish, placing fourth in a fiercely competitive race as he clocked 11.00 (0.9).
A world record of 10.64 was set by Jaydin Blackwell of the United States, who took gold. Blackwell’s team-mate, Ryan Medrano, secured silver, while a photo finish determined third, with Colombia’s Juan Alejandro Campas Sanchez edging out Young for bronze.
“It’s going to take time to process,” said Young. “I have really developed as an athlete in the last 15 months and I’ve put so much into working towards Paris which is what is really gutting about not winning a medal.
“It is tough right now but we will get there and I crossed the line injury free. I wasn’t a champion in Paris but the ambitions don’t change as we now work towards LA.
“It was still a fantastic race to be a part of. I knew going into it that it would take around 10.6/10.7 to win, and I would need to run sub 11 to get a medal. So everything which happened I had expected and I am just really upset I couldn’t be on the podium this time.
“It was an off day and me and my coach know that. I have seen my last 15 months of training but the whole world only sees me for 11 seconds so I know exactly where I am at and what I can work towards.”
Thomas Young (Getty)
At 12 years old, Young was diagnosed with neurofibromatosis type one, a condition that can lead to non-cancerous tumours growing along the nerves and can affect coordination.
However, it wasn’t until he was 17 that he discovered his impairment qualified him to compete as a para-sprinter. This realisation came when his coach, Joe McDonnell, suggested it to him.
Since then, Young has continued training under McDonnell’s guidance, forming a bond that goes beyond just coach and athlete. “He knows exactly how I think, he knows how to speak to me, how to get me ready, and how to get me feeling less nervous,” said Young.
However, just before the final in Paris, Young began to experience cramp in his leg while in the call room – something which is more prone to him due to his impairment.
His coach is usually the one to deal with his cramp before a race, but he wasn’t allowed to be in the call room in Paris and instead had to sit in the stands – resulting in Young’s first time in a call room alone.
Thomas Young (IPC)
“In Tokyo I had Joe next to me in the warm up and that was something which wasn’t possible during the final in Paris. It did throw me off a bit because I did get leg cramp and if Joe was next to me he would have known exactly how to make me feel to get me ready to run.
“Because of our impairments and how our muscles move when we are nervous, especially at such big events, our muscles can play up a lot more compared to other people.
“It was the first time I was defending a title on a world stage and everyone feels the pressure. You do have a big X on your back when you win those titles with everyone trying to beat you.
“But my coach wasn’t allowed to be next to me on the night of the final or in the village which was upsetting and if I could change something about my final it would be to have him there. I’ve known him for seven years now and he knows me so well.
“We understand each other and I think that is why I know that working towards the next Paralympics is going to be an unbelievable journey.”
Zak Skinner, Zac Shaw & Thomas Young (Getty)
Before competing in Paris, Young raced in the London Diamond League, where he finished third in the 100m ambulant men’s race, behind Brit’s Zak Skinner and Zac Shaw.
Young clocked 10.92 (0.9) on the day, setting a personal best and national record. Although it is rare to see athletes from different classifications compete against each other, these sprinters relish the chance to push each other to their limits.
Skinner and Shaw are also part of Britain’s Paralympic team. Skinner recently finished sixth in the T13 100m final, running 10.93 (-0.1), and he is set to compete in the long jump final on September 7.
Shaw, competing in his first Paralympics, narrowly missed the podium as well, finishing fourth in the T12 100m final with a time of 10.94 (-0.3).
“Although we are all rivals when we compete at the Diamond League we are all in different classifications and we all tend to run roughly the same times to beat one another.
“In para-sprinting there isn’t hundreds of people in each classification, so the only time we can get a really good close race is in the Diamond League.
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“To be able to have Zac Shaw, Zak Skinner, Kevin Santos and Emmanuel Oyinbo-Coker, four world class athletes to race against always creates an unbelievable race for us and the spectators.
“Hopefully we can have another great race together at the Indoor Tour and the Indoor British Champs next season and then we can go do the same thing outdoors too.”
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