Rio Paralympian, Jaryd Clifford, made his track debut with the assistance of a guide runner over 5000m at the Stumptown Twilight Meet, Portland (USA) over the weekend.
Clifford was diagnosed with visual impairment Juvenile Macular Degeneration at the age of three and was classified legally blind nine years later.
A culmination of “race-defining mistakes” was how Clifford came to the realisation that the bold move to guide running was the best solution for him as an athlete and a person. These issues included: incorrectly believing he had won a race, visual fatigue causing a DNF and miscalculating the number of laps remaining in a 5000m.
“These mistakes do not necessarily impede my ability to run a fast time but they do disadvantage me tactically in championship-style races. At a Paralympic Games, the pinnacle of my sporting career, one of these simple mistakes could cost me a medal,” explained Clifford.
Clifford utilised two guide runners throughout the debut run, highly regarded middle-distance coach Philo Saunders and training partner Matthew Clarke. As a result, the daunting process of a mid-race changeover had to take place.
“I was really nervous leading into the transition but the guys transitioned really smoothly. It’s great having the two guys. I always loved team sports, but when my vision deteriorated to the point it became frustrating, I had to stop. Running in a team is a great motivator.”
2018 has been marked as an experimental year with guide running for Clifford, as he puts in place a strategic plan ahead of the Tokyo 2020 Paralympics.
“The plan was always to use this year to debut guide running on the track. There are no para championships so it seemed like the best opportunity to do some experimenting. I’ve struggled quite a bit over the longer distances recently, so we saw guide running as a way of ensuring that I can fulfil my physical potential!”
Clifford wants to set the Paralympic world on fire come 2020, with the goal of reaching the top of the dais twice. An enormous feat. Looking back at the 2016 Rio Paralympics Clifford recorded two seventh places in the T13 1500m and 5000m.
“It’s exciting because I know that if I want to win medals in the future this is the way I’ll be able to do it. I want to win Paralympic double gold in Tokyo (1500/5000m) so it’s promising that we are off to such a good start."
Clifford has spent the last four weeks at a high-altitude camp in Flagstaff, Arizona which has been integral preparation for his U20 World Junior Championships campaign that begins 19-24 July in Finland.
“Flagstaff was great. It set me up for two good 1500s before this race. I’m going over to Europe for able-bodied World Juniors now filled with confidence. I’ll be fighting hard for a spot in the final."
Gaining selection for Finland is a historic moment for Clifford, he will be the first ever Paralympic athlete to represent Australia at the able-bodied U20 World Junior Championships.
"World Juniors will be a major moment in my career because of the history behind me stepping on the line. Being the first Paralympian to go to an able-bodied championship is something that’s never happened before and I want to use this moment to show what is possible. That being said, on the start line I’m just another runner and I want to be raced like any other runner and I’ll be fighting just as hard as everyone else."
