Paralympian Wins Cycling Gold Just 1 Week After Being Hit By Car

A cyclist who was “heartbroken” after a car hit him just a week before he was slated to compete in the Paralympic Games has come out on top.

Jaco van Gass won gold for the United Kingdom in the men’s 3,000-meter individual pursuit on Friday, CNN reports.

Oh, yeah, and he also set a world record for speed, clocking in at 1:04.825.

“I’m overwhelmed, delighted,” van Gass said in a statement shared on Instagram. His joy was evident in photos taken directly after his win, including one in which he excitedly tosses a small plush toy of the Paralympics mascot, the phryge, in the air.

Van Gass, who was born in South Africa, was serving in the British Armed Forces in Afghanistan in 2009 when he was struck by a rocket-propelled grenade. He was left with severe injuries, including punctured organs, and lost his left arm below the elbow.

Following an extensive recovery period, Van Gass became an accomplished runner, skier and cyclist. He previously competed as a cyclist at the 2020 Summer Paralympic Games in Tokyo, nabbing two gold medals and one bronze.

A week prior to his Friday win, a car pulled out in front of him and sent him hurdling over the hood, he said in a statement to BBC.

“I was heartbroken, I literally thought this could be my Paralympics done,” he said.

The day after the accident, van Gass was still wondering whether he’d be able to compete, but he ultimately bounced back.

“By Sunday I was riding on the track again,” he said.