Ready, Set, Glasgow podcast episode 3: Dan Greaves on seven Paralympics, Aston Villa and meeting HM The Queen
Paralympic, world, European and Commonwealth champion Dan Greaves is the second guest on the England Athletics Podcast's "Ready, Set, Glasgow" series, inspired by the upcoming Commonwealth Games.
Co-presenters Dan Pembroke - a two-time Paralympic javelin champion - and athletics commentator Alex Seftel ask Greaves to reminisce about a legendary career which has seen the 43-year-old compete at seven Paralympic Games since Sydney 2000, medalling at six of them.
"All of my success wouldn't be possible without my P.E. teacher who introduced me to discus throwing," he says. "Without that insight and persuasion to go and pursue something, I might not have had the career that I've had."
"Personally, I quite liked the praise of being an individual, rather than a team sport," adds Greaves, who enjoyed playing rugby before he took athletics seriously. "I just missed out on trials for Leicester Tigers when I was 14-15. I still carried on for a bit, but athletics, when I won the U15 County Championships and the Midlands Championships, I was like 'oh, it feels nice to get that moment for just me'."
Britain's most decorated Paralympian, Dame Sarah Storey, retired last week saying that she wanted to switch her focus to helping para sport grow, feeling that it had "stalled somewhat since London 2012" and Greaves also feels that there is more work to do. "It's a huge topic," says Greaves. "I want to see Paralympic sport like it was at the Paralympic Games week-in, week-out, or at the Commonwealth Games and being integrated at big championships."
Greaves also discusses the time he met Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II unexpectedly in the corridors of Buckingham Palace after Rio 2016, his advice to younger competitors, and his football team Aston Villa, who won the UEFA Europa League in May.
"I was born in 1982, the last time we lifted a European trophy," he explains. "These last few years under Unai Emery have just been obscenely good. Finally, we have something in the trophy cabinet that we can celebrate.
"My biggest advice to athletes is to know your worth, but also just celebrate the wins and use it for your future. You just don't know what's around the corner."
Where to listen
The episode is now available to watch on YouTube, as well as listen to on Spotify, Apple Podcasts and SoundCloud. Use the links below to watch or listen to the podcast and keep an eye out for new episode releases over the coming weeks.