Aaron Phipps

Aaron David Phipps MBE (born 7 April 1983[1]) is a British wheelchair rugby player and gold medal-winning paralympian.

Aaron Phipps
MBE
Birth nameAaron Phipps
Date of birth (1983-04-07) 7 April 1983
Place of birthSouthampton, Totton
SpouseVicky Phipps
ChildrenElla Phipps, Chloe Phipps
Rugby union career
Position(s) -
International career
Years Team Apps (Points)
Great Britain
Medal record
Representing  Great Britain
Paralympic Games
Wheelchair rugby
Gold medal – first place2020 TokyoWheelchair Rugby

He is part of the Great Britain national wheelchair rugby team and competed in Wheelchair rugby at the 2012 Summer Paralympics in London and in at the 2020 Tokyo Paralympics where the team won the gold medal final on the 29th August 2021.[2][3]

Biography

On 7 January 1999 Aaron contracted Meningitis C. and Meningococcal sepsis. As a result of this illness Aaron was in a controlled coma for 2 weeks. Following this, in March, it was required that his legs and most of his fingers be amputated. In total Aaron spent a year in hospital, receiving treatment and recovering.[4]

In 2007 Aaron began to get involved in wheelchair races and raised money for a Meningitis charity by completing a 10 km race in Totton. He has also completed 2 London Marathons (2008 & 2009)[5][6] and in 2009 was ranked 4th UK Male in both the London Marathon and the Adidas Silverstone Half Marathon.[7]

On 23 May 2016 Phipps became the first disabled British person to scale Mount Kilimanjaro[8] During large parts of the ascent Phipps was forced to climb on his hands and knees because the wheelchair wasn't capable of traversing the difficult terrain but was able to complete the climb without any assistance.

He was told that he had to be carried up the mountain, but he refused. When climbing the mountain it took twice the time it was predicted to take. On the third day, the wheelchair wasn't capable of traversing up the mountain anymore and so Aaron decided to use knee pads in order to be able to reach the top, with his father carrying the wheelchair.[9]

Phipps was appointed Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) in the 2022 New Year Honours for services to wheelchair rugby.[10][11]

References
  1. "Athlete Profiles". paralympics.org.uk. British Paralympic Association. Archived from the original on 3 September 2012. Retrieved 3 September 2012.
  2. Hudson, Elizabeth. "Paralympics: 10 to watch". BBC Disability Sport. BBC. Retrieved 3 September 2012.
  3. "Great Britain Wheelchair Rugby". Retrieved 26 August 2021.
  4. "Official Site". Retrieved 4 September 2012.
  5. "Flora London Marathon 2008 Results". Archived from the original on 24 April 2008.
  6. "Flora London Marathon 2009 Results".
  7. "Adidas Silverstone Half Marathon 2009 Race Report". Archived from the original on 20 January 2012. Retrieved 4 September 2012.
  8. Nagesh, Ashitha (21 May 2016). "Paralympian becomes first man to scale Mt Kilimanjaro in wheelchair". Metro.co.uk. Retrieved 20 September 2016.
  9. "Aaron Phipps: Paralympian climbs Mount Kilimanjaro 'on hands and knees'". BBC Sport. Retrieved 26 August 2021.
  10. "No. 63571". The London Gazette (Supplement). 1 January 2022. p. N23.
  11. "New Year Honours 2022: Jason Kenny receives a knighthood and Laura Kenny made a dame". BBC Sport. 31 December 2021.


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