Richard Chiassaro: from Paralympic athlete to coach

With the Paralympics kicking off in Paris and what is sure to be an exciting two weeks, we caught up with Paralympic wheelchair racer Richard Chiassaro. Having competed at Rio in 2016 and Tokyo in 2020, his Paralympic journey continues in Paris 2024 joining ParalympicsGB as a coach. We spoke to him about his journey to the Paralympics, the challenges he has faced and his aspirations for the future.

When asked about his early career in sports and athletics we found that Richard's love for sports started outside of athletics;

"I started as a basketball player and one day I tried racing as I thought it would be easy and I was shown a new level of fitness and skill. After that, I was hooked."

Richard's athletics career started then but unfortunately, he was not selected for the London 2012 Paralympics, despite being ranked in the top 6 in the world. Richard explains: "That was a big blow for me. It made me want to prove a point after, that which led me to the Rio Paralympics."

An athletics career can bring with it a lot of challenges both mentally and physically, Richard told us: "the main issue for me was getting the right training before I was a (UK Sport National Lottery) funded athlete. I didn't have the money to go away to camps and I didn't have the support to get me there. At the time I didn't see a way to get the Lottery funding." At England Athletics we recognise the challenges talent athletes have in accessing an appropriate level of competition and this season, Richard was the lead coach for the first ever Wheelchair Racing England Team which we funded to attend the World Para Athletics Grand Prix in Nottwil, Switzerland. Read more in the team report.

Thankfully, Richard caught his first break at the age of 31 and was selected for the Doha World Championships which opened his eyes to the level he needed to perform at. "After that, I was put onto a lower level of Lottery funding which helped me with everything from coaching, gym programmes, and nutrition."

"Within a year of Lottery funding, I was selected for the Europeans in Italy where I came away with gold in the 200m and silver in the 100m, 400m and 800m. I then went onto the Rio Paralympics, where I placed 4th in the 400m."

Representing ParalympicsGB is a massive achievement and something many athletes aspire towards.

"I have many standout moments over my career, but for me the Rio Paralympic experience blew me away. The village and performing on such a big stage was amazing, and I never really knew what to expect."

The transition from athlete to coach can be a difficult choice to make and is different for a lot of athletes, for Richard it was an unwelcome injury. He explains; "unfortunately, I picked up a neck injury during lockdown when I was training on a rolling road and I nev*er recovered. My treatment was limited due to rule restrictions, so I carried on training and never really gave it the time to heal, even today it is still an issue occasionally. I hung on until Tokyo and gave it my best shot for me and my coach, Jenni Banks, but it stopped me performing as I normally would."

"At the moment I am still in the middle of wondering whether I should race or coach. My mind tells me to race but my neck disagrees. However, I am looking forward to supporting all the athletes who have been my teammates for many years and making their games a positive experience they will remember forever."

With a wealth of knowledge in athletics already, Richard has been able to bring his unique expertise into the coaching role. "I have been through all major championships and I understand what is required, even today I am still learning."

In August, Richard was successful in being appointed as England Athletics National Wheelchair Racing Development Coach, which is a new role to England Athletics. Matt Kendrick, National Para Athletics Manager said; "it is fantastic to have Richard in this role within the talent pathway. I feel that we are now in a position to take this event to the next level and make significant progress within wheelchair racing utilising Richards's experience and expertise to guide the next generation of wheelchair racers towards the Paralympic Games in LA in 2028."

Richard's journey from Paralympic athlete to coach is a fantastic show of his dedication to the sport. We look forward to seeing his knowledge and expertise influence the next generation of athletes. We wish a massive good luck to all athletes representing ParalympicsGB in the Paralympic Games and look forward to seeing how the future of wheelchair racing evolves.

If you have been inspired by Richard's journey from athlete to coach, why not have a look at the para athletes page on our website.