Jonathan Broom-Edwards channelled his brutal experience on TV’s ‘SAS: Who Dares Wins’ to make it from surgery to the Paralympics in five weeks.
The Loughborough-based high jumper – alumni of both Loughborough College and University – broke his ankle six weeks ago and surgeons gave him a one percent chance of making the Games.
Having been beasted by ex-military officials on the Channel 4 show after winning gold in Tokyo, Broom-Edwards reached into hurt locker simply to make the start line and finish fifth in Paris.
“It’s almost like that experience prepared me for what I’ve had to deal with,” said the 36-year-old, who is one of over 1,000 elite athletes on UK Sport’s National Lottery-funded World Class Programme, allowing him to train full time, have access to the world’s best coaches and benefit from pioneering medical support.
“I went into some dark places but I’ve just had to power through it and it sets me up well for the next four years.”
While doing a routine drill in a training session on a camp in Doha, Broom-Edwards fell off a hurdle and crunched his ankle.
“I squealed when it happened and then I’m shouting ‘no, no, no’ because I knew,” he said. “It was disbelief at that point.”
An x-ray that night confirmed a fracture and on arrival back in the UK, he found that he had also snapped ligaments and was rushed into surgery.
“They told me I had a 1% chance to jump and I took that chance with everything I’ve got,” said Broom-Edwards.
“People couldn’t help but think there wasn’t enough time but my team all came together and said, ‘we’re going to chase this.’”
Broom-Edwards spent two tough weeks at the intensive rehab unit at Bisham Abbey and leant heavily on the world-class medical system funded by the National Lottery in his recovery.
He arrived into the Paralympic Village later than planned and jumped for the first time after surgery just 48 hours before the final.
It was clear from the very start of the final that he was well short of his best, clearing 1.89m but bringing down the bar at 1.97m and again at 2m to exit the competition.
Gold went to India’s Praveen Kumar with 2.08m.
“Just to be on the start line, to be amongst it all, to be amongst the crowd, I'm truly blessed,” he said.
“It's been the hardest I've had to work in my life. It's been the most uncomfortable I've felt for so long because I've been pushing the boundaries.
“I haven't told everyone. We've kept it on the down low, because I've had to really focus. But I'm a winner at heart because I made it and against all odds.”
A lengthy period of rest awaits but Broom-Edwards does seem likely to bid to regain his title at LA 2028, where he will be 40.
“I’m going to take some good time off because we had to build through Covid and go straight into a three-year cycle and I haven’t really taken time off,” he said.
“I’m going to have another new coach and we’ll see what this old rig can do.”
National Lottery players have transformed athletics in the UK, with more than £300 million invested since funding began, supporting both grassroots sport and elite athletes. A new documentary - Path to Paris: Paralympic Dreams airing on Sunday 25th August at 4:55pm on Channel 4 - follows five British athletes as they prepare for the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games and offers a unique insight into how National Lottery players support them on their journey.
