Winter Paralympian Simon Patmore Aims for Gold at Tokyo 2020

PARALYMPIAN Simon Patmore has revealed he would consider switching sports for a third time to appear at the 2020 Summer Games in Tokyo, Japan — a move that could see him become the first Australian to win gold at both summer and winter events.

Having become the country’s most successful crossover Paralympian this week, Patmore said he could potentially quit snowboard for another sport after winning gold and bronze in South Korea.

However the Brisbane boy, who as a sprinter won 200m bronze at the London Games, admitted he could never return to the track events where he also earned Commonwealth Games gold.

“I wouldn’t go back to athletics that’s for sure,” Patmore conceded. “But I’ve always said moving around in sports is the best part about Paralympic sport.

“You can do it and it’s available to you.

Simon Patmore celebrates at the medal ceremony after he won bronze in the snowboard banked slalom at the Winter Paralympics in PyeongChang.Source: Getty Images

“At the moment I haven’t really thought about it. I just want to bask in the hard work I’ve done.

“My initial goal was simply to make these Games, so to walk away with two medals and make some history, I’m stoked.

“I’m really happy Australia is proud of me as well.”

Given he had seen snow only once before 2015, plenty within the Paralympic winter program will be hoping the Queenslander sticks around until Beijing, China in 2022.

By then, however, Patmore would be 34.

Asked what may stop him from chasing winters for another four years, the Aussie continued: “Nothing is stopping me; nothing at all.

“I could definitely head that way for sure.

“I’m getting into the 30-something age bracket but physically, I feel I can hold myself together well. If there’s a good program out there I can definitely go the next four years.”

Simon Patmore after winning bronze in the banked slalom.Source: Getty Images

Patmore also credited Jessica Gallagher, the only other Australian Paralympian to medal at both summer and winter games, for inspiring his strong results over two days at Jeongseon Alpine Centre.

Gallagher, who is legally blind, won two bronze medals in alpine skiing before making the switch to cycling, where she also came third in the Rio Games 1km Time Trial.

Asked if he had thought about making history in PyeongChang this week, Patmore continued: “I had the thought about it but I didn’t have it lying on my shoulders.

“And I’m very grateful nobody else laid that on my shoulders either.

“I just wanted to become a winter and summer Paralympian. That was my goal.

“Yes, I had a medal from summer but to medal here went past my expectations and that’s why I’m just so happy to be able to stand here with two medals on me.”

Patmore also credited Australian Para-snowboard head coach Lucas Prem for his incredible rise in only a tick over three years.

“He’s an Olympic coach,” he said. “He was on the Great Britain team, on the Australian Olympic team, his wife (Stephanie Prem) is an Olympian.

“Since ‘Lu’ has been running the program, at every event we’ve had at least one athlete medal — every single event. That’s saying something.”