The Outlook Podcast Archive - The blind skateboarder going for gold

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When Justin Bishop was eight years old, he was diagnosed with a condition called retinitis pigmentosa, and was told that one day he would go blind. Two years later he fell in love with skateboarding, and from then on he and his board were inseparable. As his sight began to deteriorate in his late teens, Justin felt he was in a race against time to fit in as much skating as possible, and when he lost his sight at the age of 25 he feared he would never step on a board again. But thanks to the encouragement of his friend, and a cane with a ball on the end of it, Justin is not only winning medals but campaigning for adaptive skateboarding to be included in the Paralympics. A documentary has been made about his story called One Day You'll Go Blind.

This interview includes Justin's own recordings of him skateboarding.

Get in touch: outlook@bbc.com

Presenter: Jo Fidgen
Producer: June Christie

(Photo: Justin Bishop skateboarding. Credit: Ryne Belanger, TNG Agency)

Published on Wednesday, 23rd February 2022.

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