On track for Gold

The super-talented runner put in a jaw-dropping performance at the Beijing Olympics four years ago, taking gold in the 100m and 200m as well as smashing four world records.

When he takes to the track this year he will be cheered on by around 20 members of his family, who are converging on London en masse to support the 25-year-old, including his proud parents Lloyd and Diane, brother Justyn, and his grandfather, Robert Smyth.

Despite his son’s obvious talent, Lloyd Smyth admitted to suffering from nerves every time Jason prepares to leave the starting block, not least because his son only has 10 per cent of his vision left due to contracting Stargardt’s disease in childhood. He can see just enough to navigate his lane on the track.

“No matter when he races there is nervousness about how he is going to do especially as has impaired vision, you are concerned if anything is going to go wrong. When he does win you are very proud...excited,” said Mr Smyth.

“Jason is under more pressure this time because he is the reigning champion and he is supposed to win. So there is a wee bit more pressure and he has had to do a lit more preparation to make sure he is prepared and that everything goes well.”

Having spent time in Florida training, more recently Jason has found himself based in Northern Ireland putting in long hours in the gym and sport suites at the Sports Institute at Jordanstown, Templemore and Coleraine University. He has taken part in a few local races as well as some in Europe.

“I know from his Florida routine you are talking about waking up in the morning and training from 9am to 3pm or 4pm six days a week. That’s the kind of schedule that is needed to get to the Olympics, that is the kind of effort you have to put in,” said Mr Smyth.

Asked how he felt about his son being called the Usain Bolt of the Paralympics, Mr Smyth said the comparison was nice, but the reality was the two runners were different.

“I wish he was on the same kind of money as Usain Bolt,” he jokes, adding: “ The comparison is there because of wheat he achieved in Beijing when he ran four races and he broke the world record and won two medals.

“He is so far ahead of everybody, but there is quite a big difference in reality. But it is nice for the comparison to be made,” he said.

Racing aside, there is another cause for great excitement in the Smyth household this year – Jason’s impending nuptials in December, when he will marry fiancée Elise Jordan.

“It is an exciting time for the family. Jason has put his life on hold for athletics. His engagement and wedding are a natural progression in his life. It will help him a lot, as he needs somebody there with him. Now he will have someone on a personal level and not just in respect of his athletics. He will come come to ‘normal’ stuff whereas before this his coach lived with him, so he was always immersed in athletics. Now that he has Elise this might help him switch off.

“It is an exciting time for them and for us. We have had a lot going on in the past year because of the wedding and the paralympics. We have had a lot to be happy about.”

Fiancée, Elise is also hugely proud of Jason, who had been training in Florida ever since his Beijing tour de force. He had his sights set on competing in both the London Olympics and Paralympics, but just narrowly missed out qualifying for the Olympics by just 0.04 of a second.

The couple were introduced through two of Jason’s uncles who both live in Utah and introduced the pair. “They set us up on a date and we went miniature golfing and sort of liked each other and we went on another date,” Jordan said.

“Last fall he proposed to me on the beach in Florida, so it’s exciting. We’re getting married in December in the Salt Lake Temple.”

Before the wedding, however, there is the nail-biting matter of Jason’s paralympic bid, and Elise will be in London to cheer on her man alongside the rest of the family.

Just two days after today’s opening ceremony Jason will compete in the 100m and next week in the 200m.