Para-cyclist Jaco van Gass led ParalympicsGB to gold in the mixed team pursuit, overcoming personal setbacks and fierce competition. His relentless determination continues to inspire, adding another chapter to his remarkable career.
Read: Matthew Robertson: Para-Cyclist Pursuing Gold At First Paralympic Games
Jaco van Gass on overcoming adversity to secure gold
Jaco van Gass and teammates Jody Cundy and Kadeena Cox retained their gold medal in the mixed team pursuit on Sunday 1st September, beating silver medallists Spain by a margin of 1.8 seconds.
After the race, Jaco van Gass may have needed a second medal for the understatement of the games when he said: “I knew that with everything that’s happened over the last couple of days, these guys would have a fire in their belly. They wanted to get the best ride out, and that’s all we needed to do out on the track today.”
The “everything” Jaco is referring to would have read like a tragedy for any sportsperson, but on the biggest stage in the world, it is nothing short of heartbreaking. Teammate Kadeena Cox crashed on the first corner of the C4-5 500m time trial on the opening day of cycling, missing out on an opportunity to retain her gold in that event.
It seems that Jaco’s winning margin may be the only thing that isn’t understated. Before his race on Sunday, he said: “I knew I’d have to go harder.”
Easier said than done, especially when it comes to winning a gold medal. When you consider that he was hit by a car over a week earlier, most athletes might have been tempted to throw in the towel. But not Jaco van Gass, the 38-year-old triple Paralympic gold medallist. He thought his hopes of retaining his Tokyo gold medal would be over when he was hit by a car the previous Friday.
“I was heartbroken. I was like, ‘This could be my Paralympics done.’ I had a big cut on my head, a big pain in my knee, and I was taken to hospital. The medical team was amazing,” he said.
Jaco won two gold medals and a bronze in Tokyo in 2021 and entered these Games set to build on that achievement in the C3 3000m individual pursuit. The competition to retain his medal came from fellow ParalympicsGB athlete Fin Graham, who qualified faster than him in a world record-breaking time. Once again, Jaco was unfazed.
“Seeing him [Fin] break that record just gave me a hunger, and I knew I’d have to go harder. It was exactly the same in Tokyo. I wanted to ride a 16/17, so I knew I had to go harder and come up with a 15.”
That’s exactly what he did when the two British athletes went head-to-head for gold in the final, beating the 24-year-old by a margin of four seconds. Jaco is no stranger to using challenges as a motivator, whether it’s on or off the bike.
A strong mentality is his secret weapon
Prince Harry described him as “one of life’s most inspirational people” after they completed the Walking With the Wounded South Pole trek in 2013, walking 335km in the Antarctic and raising £1.5 million in the process.
He has said previously that a strong mentality is his secret weapon, and his performance over the last few days has been a testament to just how ironclad that mentality is.
Elaborating on what he meant on the Inclusion Undercover podcast, Jaco said: “You can be such a burden on yourself. There are so many ways you can doubt yourself so much, and there are so many ways you can turn those into positives.”
His monumental career in the velodrome so far has certainly been positive.
Time in Afghanistan and acquiring injuries
On his 23rd birthday, during his second deployment to Afghanistan in 2009, Jaco was hit by a rocket-propelled grenade, sustaining multiple injuries, including the loss of his left arm. Jaco credits his family for helping him find the strength not to give in to despair during this time, saying, “It was proving to them that I’m okay.”
He was denied their support in Tokyo due to Covid restrictions and resolved to commit to a second Paralympic cycle so they could see him perform at the Paralympics.
“I then stood on top of that podium, looking into those crowds in Tokyo, and there was no one. I knew from that very second, stepping onto that podium, that I’m going to have to try again, knowing that Paris is next, knowing that we will have those friends and family here. That is what has driven me to commit to another three years and not go off on adventures and do loads of other stuff like climbing mountains and just stick with the bike.”
This motivation must have made these two gold medals even sweeter victories. Now that the velodrome events are over, there must be a question about whether he commits to LA or goes off “on adventures climbing mountains and stuff.”
In 2012, Jaco attempted to summit Everest but was thwarted by one of the few things unaffected by mentality — the weather conditions. Whether he chooses to defend his medals or add mountaineering to his list of achievements, Jaco is definitely one to watch for another four years.
You can find out more about Jaco van Gass by following him on Instagram.
Be sure to catch up on Jaco van Gass’ recent success and the rest of the ParalympicsGB cycling squad on the track and on the upcoming road races at the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games, which runs until 8th September 2024 on Channel 4.