Meet David Van Wetherill
Published: 16/05/2025, by: Alex Courbat
Table tennis took him to three Paralympics – but that chapter’s closed. Now, David Van Wetherill’s breaking crutch marathon world records, smashing HYROX, and gearing up for an Ironman. As one of Sports Direct’s training ambassadors, we caught up with the former Paralympian to talk resilience, pushing limits, and finding strength in gratitude.
David Van Wetherill’s life has always been about movement. But what started as a hobby soon became his life’s work. Since retiring as a Paralympian table tennis player in 2021, he’s been pushing his physical limits in ways most people would think are impossible: breaking the crutch marathon world record, competing in HYROX fitness races, and now training for an Ironman.
“I think it all stems from having a disability,” he says, giving a glimpse into the mind of someone who’s never let anything get in the way of his ambition. Born with multiple epiphysial dysplasia, a condition that stops bones from growing properly, David’s journey is as much about mental strength as it is about physical prowess. “You don’t know your limits until you’ve really tested them. And I love the fact that it’s all driven by the mind. It has nothing to do with the body.”
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So, where did it all begin? Well, at age 10, he broke his leg playing football. “I couldn’t play football anymore, so I started table tennis as a bit of rehabilitation.” This was love at first sight and what was supposed to be a recovery exercise quickly turned into a passion. One that would take David to three Paralympic Games.
But then, sadly, his body caught up with him. “I retired in 2021 before Tokyo. I needed a hip replacement. I could no longer do the twisting movements.” You’d think that might feel like the end of the road. But for David, it was just a new beginning. “It was a bit of an epiphany. I’m going to become that machine that I used to be as a table tennis player, but not a table tennis player anymore. I’m going to do a marathon. I’m going to climb mountains and just become an absolute beast in any way possible.”
You’re probably wondering – how does he do it? Simple: one step at a time. “You don’t have to see the top of that mountain to be able to take the first step.” Take running, for example. He started with 5k, moved on to 10k, then half marathon, eventually breaking the crutch marathon world record. Oh, he’s also training for an Ironman in Copenhagen this August.
But for David, HYROX will always have a special place in his life. “HYROX is the perfect style of training for everything. I love running, it incorporates the running, but I love the strength training as well and feeling like an absolute machine.” But it’s not just the physical benefits that David values. The inclusive environment of HYROX really speaks to him. “Everyone is running around the same track, different speeds, but all going in the same direction alongside each other. You’ve got elite runners, adaptive athletes; no matter what your journey in life, no matter what your goal is. It’s beautiful.”
“Things happen. You can’t control that, but what can you absolutely control? Disability aside, focus on what you can do and what you absolutely can go all in on. And the potential there is unbelievable.”
David’s philosophy about sport – and life – is deeply rooted in mental strength. “The body achieves what the mind believes,” he says. But for him, it’s more than just about setting goals. “My purpose has almost become to be strong for others, to show others what is possible. Inspiring people is a very two-way thing for me. For me to practice what I preach and inspire other people inspires me an incredible amount.” A big part of David’s mindset comes from his understanding of “amor fati” – loving your fate. “Things happen. You can’t control that, but what can you absolutely control? Disability aside, focus on what you can do and what you absolutely can go all in on. And the potential there is unbelievable.” But sometimes, that means embracing pain. “The cure for pain is in the pain – leaning into pain, struggles, nervousness, anxiety, accepting it.” Training, he says, is the ultimate mental training ground. “You learn to not give up and push yourself.”
When it comes to HYROX, David knows his strengths and weaknesses. The sled push and pull are his toughest challenges, but he excels at the SkiErg and rowing. “I pride my engine and my ability to just keep going,” he says. And for him, racing is all about playing the mental game: knowing when to push and when to recover. “It’s a constant battle with your thoughts. We might pay for it in a few minutes’ time, but now’s the time. We’ll handle what comes next when it comes.” That ability to stay locked into the moment? That’s David’s secret weapon. Whether it’s on the course or in life, he believes in the power of being present. “You live in that absolute present moment. Having presence of mind in your current thoughts rather than getting distracted by what’s gone before or what’s coming ahead. It’s a beautiful metaphor for life.”
For anyone hesitant to try something like HYROX, David’s advice is simple: “There are certain things in life which you just have to experience and live. Get out there and give it a go and just don’t think about it. Just go for it.” He understands the trap of overthinking, but he’s quick to dismiss it. “Never live in imagination. It’s always worse in imagination.”
As David continues to train for the Ironman, he keeps HYROX as his foundation, even though another hip replacement is in his future. “Cross bridges when we get to them,” he says with characteristic calm. What drives David isn’t just the desire to push himself, but the possibility of achieving the impossible. “Start a challenge unless you think you can do it. If you think you can do it, then it’s not a real challenge.”
But when it really comes down to it, David’s drive isn’t about medals or records – it’s about the simple, powerful gift of movement. “Reminding myself, have gratitude for just being able to move. Just being able to take one step, because I know the feeling of not being able to do that. It’s an absolute blessing to be able to move and to do these hard things. It’s impossible not to get addicted to that when you know the feeling.”
David’s journey shows what happens when you refuse to let anything hold you back – not even your own body. From rehab to breaking world records and training for an Ironman, it’s all about pushing limits and finding strength in the mind. But it’s not just about the physical feats – it’s about inspiring others to do the same and showing that with the right mindset, anything is possible. For David, every step he takes is a reminder to be grateful for movement itself, and that’s the real challenge – embracing the journey and never underestimating what you’re capable of.
