I got sick the night before I competed at the Beijing Paralympics in 2008. I thought it was food poisoning, but over the next few months it got worse. By the time I was diagnosed with Crohn’s disease in 2009, I’d lost 25kg. I was very ill. The doctor told me there was no cure – that I’d have to live with it for the rest of my life. He advised me to retire.
“At the time I thought: ‘No, I have to prove him wrong.’ But in 2010, I got really ill. I was on the verge of dying and needed emergency surgery to save my life. During a six-hour operation, they removed part of my small intestine. When I survived that, I realised I’d been given another chance. And, with London 2012 two years away, I couldn’t let it pass without at least giving it my best shot. That’s what I did.
“The emphasis in my event is on bench press. It’s an all-body movement, so you need all-around strength. Not having legs means it’s twice as hard because I don’t have that plant on the floor. My core has to be stronger than the average person, and my back has to be strong to support the weight. My best bench is 202kg, which is almost three and a half times my bodyweight of 58kg. If I hit that in Rio, I’ll be looking at a medal.”