David Phillips
In 1996 at the age of 30, David was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis affecting the right side of his body and resulting in drop foot and poor core strength and balance.
In 1996 at the age of 30, David was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis affecting the right side of his body and resulting in drop foot and poor core strength and balance.
Returning to archery has given him and his family new satisfaction
David competed in archery as an adolescent and represented Wales in several competitions. He stopped doing sports when his career and family came into focus. After he was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis when he was 30, David took early retirement from his job. He became dissatisfied with his life – until his wife persuaded him to try archery once again. So he returned to archery in 2013, three decades after he stopped competing.
At the age of 47, he joined the Great Britain Para Team in 2014, winning the gold and silver medals at the Para European Championships in Switzerland.
Being a 50+ athlete doesn’t mean slowing down
He then qualified for the Paralympic Games in Rio in 2016 and placed fifth in archery with the open mixed team.
His goal was to participate in the Paralympic Games in Tokyo, and he made it into the top ten in the men's individual recurve – open and mixed team recurve – open.
Key facts
Nation: Great Britain
Year of birth: 1966
Sport: Para archery
Classification: Standing
Coach: Charlotte Burgess
Club: Llantarnam Archery Club
Victories and achievements
Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games:
8th place in the men's individual recurve – open
8th place in the mixed team recurve – open
Rio 2016 Paralympic Games:
5th place in the mixed team recurve – open
United Kingdom National Tour Archery Final 2018 (not para sports):
6th place