Darren Harris (Paralympian)
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Darren Harris (born 20 June 1973) is a dual Paralympian in football and judo.[1] He is England’s highest capped and most decorated blind footballer with 157 appearances and ten World and European medals respectively.[2] Outside of sports he is a number one bestselling author,[3] motivational speaker [4] and mental skills coach.
Early life[edit]
Darren Harris was born in Wolverhampton on 20 June 1973. He was diagnosed aged 15 months with bilateral retinoblastoma,[5] and treated with a combination of enucleation and external beam radiotherapy.[6]
Harris went to New College Worcester as his sight continued to deteriorate. However, sport helped him deal with his disability.[7]
Harris studied Mathematics at the University of Sheffield and worked in the IT sector for nine years, first with British Steel in 1995 and then Capgemini in 1998.
Professional sports career[edit]
Football (1996-2007)[edit]
Harris made his England blind football debut in 1996,[8] became captain in 2002, and won medals in six consecutive European Championships: Barcelona in 1997, Porto in 1999, Paris in 2001, Manchester in 2003, Malaga in 2005, and Athens in 2007.
The team qualified a place at the Paralympic Games in Athens 2004. But they were barred from taking part, as the other Home Nations besides England wouldn't sanction a team to play as Great Britain.[9]
After leading the team to qualification for the 2008 Beijing Paralympics, he focused full time on Judo, a sport he started at school but only took part in recreationally, until he couldn’t compete in the 2004 Paralympics.
Judo (2005-2011)[edit]
Harris represented Great Britain in judo at the Paralympic Games in Beijing 2008 in the -66 kg weight category.[10] He lost in the first round to the world champion and eventual Paralympic bronze medallist Victor Sanchez from Cuba.
Either side of the Games, he won medals at the European Championships in Baku in 2007 and Budapest in 2009. However, his World Championships in 2010 and World Games in 2011 were plagued by injury and he decided to return to football.
Football (2011–2019)[edit]
Harris represented Great Britain in football at the Paralympic Games in London 2012,[11] where the team finished a disappointing 7th.
He won medals at the European Championships in Aksaray in 2011, Berlin in 2017, and Rome in 2019, as well as at the World Games in Seoul in 2015.
Domestic honours[edit]
Harris was awarded an Albion Foundation Star for his 'Outstanding Contribution to WBA Teams'.[12] He won the League and the Cup trophies three times each and the Golden Boot five times, cementing his reputation as one of the country’s best strikers in blind football.
Professional Services[edit]
Harris began working with the Dame Kelly Holmes Trust in 2010 on a variety of personal development programmes equipping young people with a winning mindset. He joined the professional speaking Association in 2013,[13] and graduated with The Coaching Academy in 2015.
He gives people in business and education the psychological tools to overcome adversity using speaking, coaching and workshops.
Other Roles[edit]
Harris is a brand ambassador for Motability,[14] an non-executive director for Kaleidoscope Plus Group,[15] an honorary doctor with The Open University,[16] patron for the Childhood Eye Cancer Trust [17] and Governor for Wylde Green Primary School.[18]
Personal life[edit]
Harris lives in Birmingham and is married with 2 children.
References[edit]
- ^ "British Paralympic Association".
- ^ "National Paralympic Heritage Trust Profile".
- ^ "Amazon Book".
- ^ "TEDx Wolverhampton".
- ^ "Diagnosis".
- ^ "Treatment".
- ^ "Birmingham Mail".
- ^ "UCFB".
- ^ "Christ Church".
- ^ "Judo Info".
- ^ "Express & Star".
- ^ "WBA".
- ^ "PSA".
- ^ "Motability".
- ^ "Kaleidoscope Plus Group".
- ^ "Open University".
- ^ "Childhood Eye Cancer Trust".
- ^ "Wylde Green Primary School".