Danny Crates

Danny collected his first World Championships title at Assen 2006 to complete a hat-trick of all three major international titles. Danny won the T46 800m title in 1:54.92 in Assen in September 2006, adding the World title to the Paralympic Games gold he won at Athens 2004 and the European Championships title he won in Espoo, Finland in 2005.

Danny was a keen rugby player before losing his arm in an accident in Australia in 1994. Following the accident he continued to play rugby but was invited to give athletics a go when he was spotted playing. 

After meeting Paralympic athletes who had competed at Atlanta 96, Danny switched from Rugby to athletics with the dream of representing Great Britain at the Sydney Paralympic Games in 2000.

 He made his international athletics debut in the 400m at the 1998 World Championships. The following year he took gold over 400m at the European Championships Danny, before winning bronze over the same distance at the Sydney 2000 Paralympic Games.

 He then switched distances from 400m to 800m and won gold at the 2003 European Championships in Assen before taking the 800m gold at the Athens 2004 Paralympic Games, the same year as he set the T46 800m world record of 1:53.27 in Manchester.

 Danny’s long-term aim is to better his current World record so that it remains after his retirement.   A qualified scuba diving instructor, the Essex runner also works as a motivational and after-dinner speaker.