NSW Institute of Sport (NSWIS) scholarship holder Tim Hodge has become a World Champion again, after winning the gold medal in the Men’s 200m Individual Medley SM9 on night two of the Para World Swimming Championships in Manchester.

“To be able to win a gold medal for myself and become a world champion once more is great feeling,” the Blacktown local said.

Hodge claimed gold and a championship record in the Men’s 200m Individual Medley SM9 with a commanding time of 2:12.74.

Faster than his time in last year’s championship, and not far off his world record set earlier this year, Hodge led the race from start to finish after cruising through his heat in a time of 2:14.54.

“I’m really happy with how the race went. I stuck to my plan and hit a number of key goals in my race plan. Looking at the time I’m quite happy with it.

“I’m going to go back now with my coach and go over the time and the race and see what was good and what can be improved and hopefully come up with a few strategies for next year.”

After a solid heats session earlier in the day, Tim and his fellow teammates dominated the pool at night, posting personal bests and championship records during the finals session.

“What motivates me to be better is knowing there is someone out there who wants to be better than me,” he said. “I want to make sure that when they do come through, they will have a hell of a time try to beat me.”

With the support of the Australian Team in the stands, singing the national anthem and cheering on his performance, Hodge was determined to give his best.

“Knowing the team is cheering me on and my partner and family are watching back home means the world to me,” said Hodge. “It gives me the support and drive to turn up to these championships and give it my all every time.”

The 22-year-old will add his new gold medal to a cabinet already crammed with trophies and medals, including three from the two Paralympics Games he’s competed in. These achievements re-enforce his fear about the life that awaited him in the aftermath of the amputation was way off the mark.

When four year old Timothy Hodge was in bed and recovering from having his right foot amputated in 2005, he uttered a sentence his parents ensured would carry no weight.

With the bottom of his leg swathed in bandages, Hodge looked at his mother Cheryl and father Steve and quietly said: “I don’t think I’ll ever be good at anything now.”

His parents responded by being true to their word when they said Hodge would be given every opportunity to find his place in sport. Indeed, Hodge can’t help except to laugh as he recalls that at one point he did a different sport every day of the week – soccer, karate, swimming, tennis, and even T-ball.

And he proved himself wrong. 

Frances Cordaro with Daniel Lane, NSWIS

 

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