Aged 27, Nathan Smith had been walking home from an end-of-season function at his London rugby club in 2004 when a car ran into him, tearing his leg off below the knee.
Quickly after his injury, a friend introduced Nathan to mountain biking. Within a year he had bought his own bike and was out logging kilometers on the road. At that time, he mainly raced against able-bodied cyclists in road events.
Nathan Smith’s international debut
Taranaki-born Smith made his international debut at the Para Cycling World Championships in Canada in 2010. He then qualified for Denmark and Italy Para Cycling World Championships. In 2012, Nathan made his Paralympics debut at London 2012 where he competed in 5 Para cycling events.
Nathan continued to bike recreationally, between working as a full time pharmacist and raising his three kids. Sadly, Nathan died from cancer in 2023, aged 47 (in memoriam notice).
