Mark Colbourne facts for kids
| Personal information | |
|---|---|
| Full name | Mark Colbourne |
| Born | 9 November 1969 Tredegar, Wales |
| Team information | |
| Discipline | Track |
Mark Lee Colbourne is a former Welsh Paralympic cyclist. He competed for both Wales and Great Britain. He was born on November 9, 1969.
Contents
Early Life and Sports
Mark Colbourne was born in Tredegar, Wales. Before becoming a cyclist, he played volleyball. He even played for Wales at an international level from 1990 to 1993.
In 2009, Mark had a serious accident. He broke his back after falling about 35 feet during an emergency landing while paragliding. This accident changed his life path.
Cycling Journey
After his accident, Mark started cycling. He joined a program through Disability Sport Wales. He competes in the C1 classification. This means he rides an upright bike and has a severe disability.
He trained hard with his coach, Neil Smith, at the Newport Velodrome. Mark first raced on a track in May 2010. This was at the Wales Grand Prix.
First Big Wins
In 2011, Mark won his first medals at the UCI Para-Cycling World Cup. He earned a bronze medal in the C1 time trial in Spain. Later, in Canada, he won a silver medal in the same event. His first World Championship medal was a silver. He won it at the 2011 UCI Para-Cycling Road World Championships in Denmark.
Becoming a World Champion
Mark Colbourne became a world champion in 2012. He won a gold medal in the C1 3 km individual pursuit. This was at the 2012 UCI Para-Cycling Track World Championships in Los Angeles, USA. At the same championships, he also won a silver medal in the C1 1 km time trial.
Paralympic Games Success
Mark was chosen to be part of the Great Britain cycling team. This was for the 2012 Summer Paralympics in London. On August 30, 2012, he won a silver medal. This was Great Britain's first medal of the 2012 Paralympics. It was in the C1-3 1 km time trial event.
The very next day, August 31, 2012, he won a gold medal! This was in the C1 3 km individual pursuit. He even broke the world record twice. He set new records in both the qualification round and the final race. He also competed in two road cycling events. These were the C1 road time trial and the C1-3 road race.
Retirement and Recognition
Mark Colbourne was honored for his achievements in cycling. He was appointed a Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE). This special award was given to him in the 2013 New Year Honours list. In August 2013, Mark announced that he was retiring from para-cycling.
See also
- 2012 Olympics gold post boxes in the United Kingdom
