Paralympic Judo champion Chris Hunt Skelley MBE, originally from Hull, will be aiming to strike gold again in Paris when the Paralympic Games take centre stage in August and September.
Chris won gold in Tokyo in the men’s - 100kg category, defeating Ben Goodrich of the USA in the final and will be hoping to repeat that success in Paris, albeit in the J2 +90kg category following reclassification after Tokyo. He will be competing at the Champ de Mars arena on Saturday September 7.
Chris started participating in Judo at his local club in Haltemprice and moved to the Midlands at the age of 19 to train at the British Judo Centre of Excellence. The hard work has paid off for Chris as in addition to Paralympic gold, Chris has also been European Champion and a World Championship bronze medallist. He's also been number 1 in the world in his sport and is currently standing strong at number 4.
Chris’s eyesight began to deteriorate at the age of 17 and he was eventually diagnosed with oculartanious albinism, which changed his life completely and led him to a very dark place - from which his sport saved him. Chris had to give up his apprenticeship to become a mechanic and stop playing rugby but despite facing significant challenges throughout his life, Chris goes into this competition ranked world number four and with a realistic chance of taking a medal again. He told us that he's now in the 'zone' and preparing to represent his country again at the highest level.
2024 has already been a successful year for Chris away from the Judo mat when he was awarded the Lifetime Achievement Award in recognition of his successes in Judo, at the Disability Sport Yorkshire annual awards ceremony, held at Elland Road Stadium, Leeds. He was also given an MBE for his services to sport and his work to support people during the pandemic.
Active Humber sends good luck to Chris and all the elite athletes competing in Paris.
