Almost a quarter of a century after tragic accident: 60-year-old grandfather achieves Paralympic miracle

Thomas Wandschneider, a 60-year-old grandfather, wins bronze in para-badminton. A victory that is based on a tragic accident and years of passion.

Paris – Almost 25 years ago, a serious car accident changed Thomas Wandschneider’s life forever. The family man from Buxtehude suffered paraplegia and had to face a new reality.

But instead of letting this stroke of fate get him down, Wandschneider found his calling in para-badminton. Now, at the age of 60, he has won a historic bronze medal at the Paralympics in Paris.

From tragedy to triumph: Wandschneider’s path to a Paralympic medal

After the accident in 2000 that left him paralyzed, Wandschneider quickly turned to para-badminton. He began training intensively and developed a passion for the sport that carried him through the most difficult times. His dedication was so great that he foregoes luxury at all costs and spent six years sleeping in a converted van outside the training hall in Hanover in order to prepare optimally for the games.

“I’ve been doing this for almost six years.” I spend 80 percent of my life in the car. “It’s actually pretty crazy, but I had one goal: I want a medal at the Paralympics,” said Wandschneider in Paris.

Wandschneider’s historic match against the 36-year-younger Chinese Tong Yang

The road to the medal was anything but easy. In the quarterfinals, Wandschneider met the 24-year-old Chinese Tong Yang, who was the favorite as second in the world rankings. The match went down as the longest in the history of the Paralympics and lasted 103 minutes.

“My children are older than my opponents,” joked Wandschneider after the epic duel. Thanks to the support of the crowd, who cheered him loudly, he was ultimately able to win the match.

After accident drama almost 25 years ago: 60-year-old grandfather from Buxtehude causes Paralympics sensation

In the match for third place, three Wandschneiders faced the 47-year-old South Korean Jaegun Jeong. In a thrilling match, the German won in two sets (26:24, 21:11) and secured bronze, the first German medal in para-badminton. Wandschneider’s introduction was met with great applause in the Porte de la Chapelle arena. The oldest athlete in the German Paralympics team became a crowd favorite with his spectacular style of play and his likeable manner.

“I always had the dream that I would achieve this now – that I would win a medal in badminton for Germany.” And I actually did it. “I won the bronze medal for Germany,” said Wandschneider. “And the craziest thing is, at almost 61 years old. It’s bad that I, as a 61-year-old, have to show the young people how it works. But we hope that the future will make the sport even more interesting for all of us.”