Henry Urand is a twenty-two-year-old triathlete from Kent, currently studying at Loughborough University. He has only recently entered the triathlon world, having previously trained and competed in elite cycling events. After securing gold at the Para Triathlon World Championships in Spain in October, he has comfortably showcased himself as an exciting, young and upcoming athlete who can dominate this field – a certain competitor to watch.
Henry was born with a left hemiplegia which is a paralysis of one side of the body due to neurological injury, which affected his mobility from a young age. Reflecting on his childhood, he admits, “I wasn’t a very sporty kid growing up… and I think a lot of people with disabilities tend to distance themselves from sport.” However, as he got older, Henry became increasingly active, integrating football and regular runs into his lifestyle. During a football match, Henry suffered a severe bucket handle meniscus tear in his right knee, an injury that necessitated surgery. His recovery was especially critical as this was his stronger and previously unaffected leg. To regain full function and strength, Henry embarked on a comprehensive rehabilitation program, which introduced him to cycling. What began as a tool for recovery quickly grew into a passion, becoming an integral part of his daily routine.
Reflecting on this period, Henry shared, “I used to get up before school when I was doing my A-levels and ride for an hour to ninety minutes, then head straight to lessons. I did that every day.” His dedication paid off, and after about a year of consistent training, Henry caught the attention of British Cycling, who offered him the opportunity to train and compete at a higher level.
Henry’s transition into triathlon emerged following the COVID-19 lockdown when he rediscovered his love for running. Combining his enthusiasm for cycling and running, he saw para triathlon as the perfect sport to channel his talents. Remarkably, after only three months of focused training, Henry was competing in World Cups and Series events. Recognising his potential, British Paratriathlon encouraged him to set his sights on the Paris Paralympic Games—a monumental achievement for someone so new to the sport.
In June earlier this year, Henry earned a coveted spot on the GB team for the Paralympics in Paris. Competing on one of the most prestigious stages in athletics, he delivered an outstanding performance, finishing just shy of the podium in fourth place. Commenting on the event, Henry described it as “surreal… It’s really cringe and cliché, but it’s an event that’s bigger than the sport itself. It touches everyone, and you meet people from all walks of life.”
Although he narrowly missed out on a medal, the experience gave Henry a deeper appreciation for the Paralympic movement. Seeing athletes overcome extraordinary challenges broadened his perspective, even as he humbly reflected on his own journey: “For me, my disability has never felt like a big deal.” Immersed in this incredible environment, Henry described the experience as a “crazy transition” that impacted his mindset and ambitions.
More recently, Henry demonstrated his remarkable talent by defeating several formidable opponents at the World Championships held in Torremolinos last October, including those who had secured podium positions in Paris. Following his performance at the Paralympics, many believed Henry was an underdog in the race for Gold last month. The 49-year-old reigning Paralympic Champion, Daniel Molina, was widely regarded as the favourite to claim victory, particularly with the added advantage of competing in front of a home crowd. However, the event proved to be Henry’s moment of redemption, as he delivered an extraordinary performance to claim the top spot on the podium.
Henry, who has previously acknowledged that swimming is his weakest leg in the triathlon, was satisfied with his performance, stating, “It went really well in terms of where I expected to be. In the swim, I came out where I imagined. Then, when we got onto the bike, you have these days where it feels like you don’t even have a chain, and everything just feels effortless. I was able to ride through the field much faster than I normally would have done.”
As the race transitioned to the final stage, the run, Henry found himself shoulder-to-shoulder with Molina—the Spanish favourite and Paralympic champion. With unwavering support from his coaches urging him forward, Henry seized the moment to push past his competition.
“One of my coaches shouted, there’s fifteen seconds to the front. By the time I got to the first turn, my other coach shouted that it was only ten seconds and that today was my day. Just take it,” Henry explained.
"Just take it."
To stay focused on those final moments of the race, Henry consciously worked to control his breathing, telling himself to stay calm and composed. He remembers pretending that he wasn’t breathing very hard, “like nose breathing”. This tactic clearly worked in Henry’s favour as he was able to surge in front of this Spanish competitor and finished with a winning advantage of 51 seconds. With his parents watching from the side lines, the victory was made even more meaningful. “They’ve been on this journey with me for six years, seven years now”. Henry shared. “They’ve watched me go out training when it’s chucking it down and all other things. Probably as parents, they worry about me... this was a nice moment with them as well”.
Reflecting on his Paralympic performance and his subsequent triumph at the World Championships just months later, Henry described the overall experience as “a little bittersweet.” Eighteen months prior, he hadn’t even expected to compete in Paris, making his Paralympic participation an incredible feat in itself. However, given that the Paralympics were his top priority, Henry admitted it was frustrating to achieve victory over his rivals just two months later rather than on the grand stage of Paris. “I’ve got to have some perspective, but it made it bittersweet that I beat them two months later. It would have been so, so good to have done it then,” Henry explained. Nonetheless, he views this as the beginning of his story, adding, “It makes the journey sweeter as we go on. I think now I want to focus on LA and hopefully deliver there.”
Henry may have to wait another year for his next major competition, but it’s clear that his ambitions are firmly fixed on a long-term goal: making a significant impact at the next Paralympics in Los Angeles. At just twenty two, Henry Urand’s journey is only beginning. He claims that these last few competitions have “definitely lit that kind of hunger in me to just keep pushing and keep going because I’m not the finished product for sure.” With his relentless drive, growing experience, and natural talent, he’s certainly poised to make a significant impact on the international paratriathlon stage.
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