Welcome to 'Let's Talk Para', the podcast that brings you closer to the world of para-sport through stories, insights, and conversations with the people who make it happen. Join us as we dive deep into the journeys of para-athletes, explore the perspectives of dedicated coaches, and hear from the trailblazers shaping the future of disability sport. Whether you’re passionate about sports, advocacy, inclusion or simply love a great story, 'Let's Talk Para' sheds light on the achievements, challenges, and experiences within the para-sport community.
#16 Martin McElhatton: From Paralympian to Chief Executive
Martin McElhatton OBE is a former Paralympian and the Chief Executive of WheelPower, the national charity for wheelchair sport in Britain. Martin shares his journey from representing Great Britain in wheelchair basketball at the 1984 Paralympic Games to leading WheelPower since 1987. In 2020, he received an OBE for his services to disability sport.
In this episode, he discusses his extensive involvement in wheelchair sports, including his voluntary roles in wheelchair tennis at both national and international levels. Martin reflects on the transformative power of sport for disabled individuals and his dedication to creating opportunities for participation and leadership in disability sports. He also talks about the recognition he received with an OBE in the 2020 New Year Honours for his services to disability sport.
25 Apr 2025
#15 Iain Gowans Diving deep into Classification and the Paralympic Journey
Iain Gowans is a Doctoral Researcher at the Peter Harrison Centre at Loughborough University. He is also a Paralympic swimmer having represented Great Britain at the 1996 wAtlanta Games.
He graduated from the University of Strathclyde in Sport in the Community and completed his master’s degree in Equality Studies at University College Dublin in 2003. Between 2003-2021, Iain worked for the British Paralympic Association (BPA).
He started his PhD in 2021 and it looks at "Intentional Misrepresentation in Paralympic Athlete Classification", which he got inspiration to do from his own experiences as well as his work with the BPA. In addition to his research, Iain has developed educational materials for athletes and staff on Classification, which has been reproduced and translated around the world.
22 Apr 2025
#14 Mike Hutchinson: All Things Classification
Mike Hutchinson is the Athlete Services Manager at ParalympicsGB. He has been involved with Para-Sport since his placement year when he was doing his Undergraduate at the University of Bath, where he worked with ParalympicsGB in the lead up to London 2012. He also completed his PhD at the Peter Harrison Centre in Loughborough University where he looked at "The application of subjective ratings of perceived exertion to regulate exercise intensity during upper body exercise".
In this episode Mike delves into his journey in Para-Sport and then goes on to explain classification in para-sport and why it plays a pivotal role in the movement.
15 Apr 2025
#12 Daniel Angus: Psychophysiological responses in Para-Football
Daniel Angus is a Doctoral Researcher at Loughborough University’s Peter Harrison Centre for Disability Sport. His research explores the psychophysiological responses to stress in elite para-footballers. By utilising longitudinal studies, he aims to come up with a potential intervention study to improve performance.
Alongside his research, Daniel is partially sighted footballer playing in the England FA Cups and leagues. He has won numerous titles with his team throughout his career which started at a very young age.
In the episode, Daniel shares more about his research and how his journey in para-football has shaped and inspired it. He also delves into where he hopes to see his research and para-football go.
1 Apr 2025
#12 Fransiska Bossuyt: Optimising Shoulder Health in Para-Sport
Fransiska Bossuyt is a researcher specialising in scapular kinematics and the biomechanics of soft-tissue injuries, with a focus on understanding muscle and tendon function to improve injury prevention and treatment. Currently, she is spearheading a project on shoulder health in vulnerable populations.
She is actively involved in rehabilitation research and policy, serving as co-chair of the COVID-19 taskforce within the International-ISIG of the American Congress of Rehabilitation Medicine, where she also holds the role of early career officer. Alongside her academic work, she is deeply engaged in para-sport, acting as a para-coach at Seeclub Luzern and as the para-rowing liaison officer for the Lucerne Regatta. In this role, she played a key part in securing the first-time inclusion of para-rowing at the final Paralympic qualification regatta and the World Cup.
During her IAS Fellowship, Dr. Bossuyt is collaborating with Professor Vicky Tolfrey, Dr. Tom O'Brien, Dr. James King, and Dr. Thomas Rietveld at the School of Sport, Exercise and Health Sciences and the Peter Harrison Centre for Disability Sport, contributing her expertise to ongoing research in para-sport and rehabilitation.
25 Mar 2025
#11 Adam Dickinson: The Power of Sport
Adam Dickinson is a Research Associate in Knowledge Translation and Stakeholder Engagement at the Peter Harrison Centre for Disability Sport at Loughborough University's School of Sport, Exercise and Health Sciences. In this role, he works closely with external partners to conduct qualitative needs analyses and translating research findings into practical applications.
Adam completed his PhD at Loughborough University in February 2025, with research partly funded by British Wheelchair Basketball. His doctoral work provides valuable insights into the experiences and opportunities within wheelchair basketball, contributing to a deeper understanding of access, development, and inclusion in the sport. Adam is actively involved in promoting inclusion and accessibility in disability sport. In February 2025, he represented the Peter Harrison Centre at an event focused on access and inclusion in sport, arts, and culture, coinciding with the 20th anniversary of his own amputation.
11 Mar 2025
#10 Vicky Goosey-Tolfrey: Advancing Para-Sport Research
Vicky Goosey-Tolfrey is a leading expert in para-sport research and the Director of the Peter Harrison Centre for Disability Sport. With decades of experience working with Paralympic athletes, Vicky shares her insights into the science behind elite performance, the evolution of para-sport research, and the impact of her work on athlete preparation and recovery.
4 Mar 2025
#9 Olivia Broome: Raising the Bar
Olivia Broome is an elite British para powerlifter who has made a name for herself on the international stage. Olivia medalled at both the Tokyo and Paris Paralympic Games as well as the European Championships. She shares her journey into the sport, the challenges she’s overcome, and what it takes to compete at the highest level.
25 Feb 2025
#8 Alasdair Donaldson: Building Para-Sport Excellence at Institutions
Alasdair Donaldson is the Head of Para Sport at Loughborough University, where he works to create opportunities for para-athletes. He delves into his journey into para-sport and the pivotal role Loughborough plays in nurturing talent from grassroots all the way to performance athletes. Beyond his work at the university, he shares insights into building an inclusive sporting environment and his vision for the future of para-sport going into the next game.
18 Feb 2025
#7 James Hollis: Beyond the lanes
James Hollis is a Paralympian, world record holder and Commonwealth Games medalist. He delves into his journey in swimming and the challenges he faced growing up. Beyond para-swimming, he talks about the para-sport movement as well as his role as a Performance Lifestyle Mentor in the UKSI.
11 Feb 2025
#6 Jack Clarke: S&C insights in Para-Sport
Jack Clarke is the Performance Scientist for GB Wheelchair Rugby, and was previously the S&C coach for Loughborough Wheelchair Lightning Bassketball. Jack shares insights into training elite para-athletes, optimising performance for diverse sports, and the key principles behind strength and conditioning. Whether you're an athlete, coach, or sports enthusiast, he provides insight into how he got into the world of para-sport and advice for anyone looking to get into it.
10 Dec 2024
#5 Nik Diaper: The Playbook for Paralympic Performance
Paralympic Performance expert Nik Diaper shares his 22-year playbook for optimising athlete performance and driving inclusivity in sports.
3 Dec 2024
#4 Ahalya Lettenberger: From swimming lanes to advocacy waves
Para-swimmer and Paralympian Ahalya Lettenberger shares her inspiring journey from swimming lanes to advocacy waves as a passionate advocate for inclusion and accessibility.
26 Nov 2024
#3 Joe McDonnell: From the local club to the Paralympics
Para-sport coaching expert Joe McDonnell shares his journey and lessons learned in forming his coaching philosophy for elite athletes on the Paralympic World Class Programme.
19 Nov 2024
#2 George Bates: Leading the Game on and off the court
George Bates is a British wheelchair basketball player. He has represented Great Britain at the international level and has been a key player in winning the Europeans and World Championships.Bates has also gained attention for advocating for inclusion and fair classification within para-sports.
His story became widely known when he was excluded from competing under updated International Wheelchair Basketball Federation (IWBF) classification rules, which affected athletes with certain physical impairments.
Currently, George is the head coach of the women's Lightning Wheelchair Basketball Team.
12 Nov 2024
#1 Krysten Coombs: From the Paralympics to the Game of Thrones
Krysten Coombs is a British para-badminton player competing in the short stature (SH6) category. Coombs has represented Great Britain and won 2 Paralympic medals and numerous World Championship medals.
Outside of badminton, Krysten Coombs does some acting with appearances on 'Game of Thrones' and 'The Witcher'.
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