Personal information | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Full name | Ian James Marsden | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Nationality | Great Britain | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Born | Stafford, England | 25 January 1972|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Height | 170 cm (5 ft 7 in) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Weight | 68 kg (150 lb) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Sport | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Sport | Paracanoe | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Disability class | KL1 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Club | Trentham Canoe Club | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Coached by | Colin Radmore | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Medal record
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Ian James Marsden (born 25 January 1972 in Stafford[1]) is a British paracanoeist, hand cyclist and was previously a champion powerlifter.[2] He bronze medalled at the 2016 Summer Paralympics in the Men's KL1 200m.[3]
Marsden began his professional life as a microbiologist.[4][5]
Before sustaining a spinal injury, Marsden competed as a non-disabled athlete at the British Open Powerlifting Championships, and titled in 1989 when he was 17.[4] He holds 3 world records.[6]
After the spinal injury, he became the "first British male to win a podium position"[7] on the European Handcycling Circuit (EHC).[4]
In the 10m air rifle category, Marsden won a silver and bronze medal at world level.[8] He was due to compete in London 2012, but health complications prevented this.[6]
Marsden has mentioned that he was asked numerous times if he wanted to try Paracanoe (during his handcycling career and shooting).[4] He took up the offer of regular training at Nottingham and joined the Paracanoe GB Sprint Team,[9][10] representing Team Great Britain since 2013. He bronze medalled at the Rio 2016 Paralympic Games.[3]
Marsden sustained a spinal injury powerlifting, which caused his hospitalisation and eventually introducing him to the world of handcycling. However, after competing on the European circuit for a number of years, Marsden was once again hospitalised, and it was discovered that he had a rare motor neuron condition.[6]