Mick Brennan: from Iraq to the ski slopes of Sochi
Mick Brennan, who is competing in three skiing disciplines in the 2014 Winter Paralympics at Sochi, took up skiing after suffering serious injuries in a suicide attack in Iraq 10 years ago.
34-year-old Mick Brennan was serving in Iraq with the Royal Signals in November 2004 when he lost both his legs and part of his skull in a suicide bomb attack.
He started learning adaptive skiing in November 2008 as part of his rehabilitation programme at Headley Court and soon made it onto the Combined Services disabled ski team. Brennan was eventually selected for the British disabled ski team development squad and made his international debut in 2010.
He has had some bad luck with injuries over the past year. The former soldier finished ninth in the super-G at last year’s World Championships in La Molina, Spain, but the day after broke his sternum warming up for the giant slalom. He returned to action in New Zealand after almost six months out, but then broke his wrist, so is short of competitive action ahead of Sochi.
Brennan is competing in three disciplines. He was also set to take part in the downhill but pulled out of the event earlier this week (5 March) after describing conditions as “scary.” Mild conditions and a lack of snow have made it soft and bumpy in places, although the IPC insists it is safe.
In action
9 March: super-G
13 March: slalom
15 March: giant slalom
Becky Horsbrugh is a producer for Channel 4 News