25-07-2025
Family tragedy shaped Welsh sport star as he describes motivation after fatal accident
Jack Wilson was only eight years old when his father died in a tragic accident at home, but more than two decades on he is hoping to make his dad proud. 2028 might seem like a long time away, but the Welsh para-athlete has his sights set firmly on the Paralympic Games that year.
This weekend, he is competing at the British & Irish Para Badminton International, the largest event of its kind ever held in Wales, in front of a home crowd. Jack, who was born with his disability, is one of the elite players from across the world taking part in the British & Irish Para Badminton International.
It is taking place at the Sport Wales National Centre in Cardiff, and is the biggest para badminton event ever held in Wales. Jack will represent Great Britain, as the only Welsh athlete on the GB Paralympic programme.
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Jack' was a teenager when he first picked up his father's badminton racket.
He said: "I lost my dad when I was eight, and the whole goal is to make him proud, and that's what motivates me to keep carrying on, performing, trying to do the best I can on the world stage.
"My first badminton racket was his racket… knowing that I'm playing the sport he played."
It was when he was teenager that Jack first picked up his dad's badminton racket.
He said: "I kinda fell out of love with football and then in year eight I found badminton... I got the badminton bug."
2028 might seem like a long time away, but Welsh para-athlete Jack Wilson has his sights set firmly on the Paralympic Games that year. This weekend, he is competing at the British & Irish Para Badminton International, the largest event of its kind ever held in Wales, in front of a home crowd.
He said: "I am massively proud. Representing Wales on the world stage is a massive responsibility, but it's also a privilege. With that privilege comes a lot of pressure, and there will definitely be a lot of pressure when I am competing in Cardiff.
"It means the world to me that I get to represent Wales, I'm trying to make my dad proud."
Explaining his love of badminton, Jack says: "I kinda fell out of love with football and then in year eight I found badminton... I got the badminton bug.
"What I didn't like about football was if you didn't get the football or be involved that much, it was a bit difficult.
"Whereas playing singles is only you vs someone else, and if you lose, it's on you, I've always liked that."
Jack attended Cardiff Metropolitan University, where he achieved success after success in badminton.
He said: "From there it kind of capitulated in the way that I broke into the Wales squad, then I learned about parabadminton.
"There was a Welsh four nations tournament, so I played that and it kinda exploded from there that I went onto the international circuit."
As Jack, who has also competed in able-bodied national tournaments, challenging perceptions and proving that disability doesn't limit ambition, faces competitors from across the world in Cardiff this weekend and it is a full circle moment to be back in the Sport Wales National Centre.
He said: "It feels like a bit of a full circle in a way, I started my para badminton journey there, in Wales, in Sport Wales National Centre... My track record is quite good in the hall. I really, really just can't wait."
Keen to urge anyone to try out badminton and head along to the competition in Cardiff and support, Jack said: "Just give it a go, there is something about the sport that is weirdly fun.
"It is a really accessible sport, give it a go and you might end up loving it."
Jack has got another six to seven tournaments to play in the next year alone, and while he is being realistic, the dream is the 2028 Paralympics.
He said: "The Paralympics is the main goal that I've always set out to reach, LA 2028 would be a massive, massive goal for me.
"It is going to be a crazy few years before I even get there.
"There is a lot of matches to be played before I can even be thinking about it, it is the dream of a lifetime to make it to LA 2028."
