'The most important thing is to enjoy the experience' - Mark Rohan

AT the famous Brands Hatch circuit next Wednesday afternoon, Mark Rohan's epic, almost Hollywood-esque journey back from the precipice will become complete. For a moment, let's forget about gold, silver and bronze medals at the 2012 London Paralympics (the 52nd edition of the Games since its first official hosting in Rome in 1960). For the Ballinahown native's arrival at the peak of his profession is not only a story of sporting excellence, but also (possibly even more so) a triumph of immense human courage and inward strength in the face of major adversity and, to put it bluntly, but realistically, very life-threatening injuries. Mark had been going about his business, preparing for a junior soccer match with Ballinahown, on what would prove a most fateful day in his life. Travelling to Tullamore, on a Sunday morning, by way of motorcycle, Mark lost control of his vehicle and suffered a horrific catalogue of injuries after crashing. Included among his potentially fatal list of injuries was four broken bones in his back, four compound fractures of his right leg, a broken left foot, four broken ribs, a torn Aorta, a broken sternum (breastbone), and a broken collarbone. For someone so active (he was a promising footballer with Castledaly GAA Club and also played full-back for Westmeath in the 2001 Leinster U21 championship), such afflictions could have led a lesser-man to crumble. Mark was paralysed from the chest down, but it was never going to shatter his unique spirit and determination. This reporter already knew Mark (quite well) from our time spent studying (well, let's say attending) Marist College in Athlone, where Mark was always, without intending to be any patronising, an extremely popular young man. I remember having met Mark several months after his accident, and thus being taken aback by the positivity and fantastic mental strength he was showing following his accident, and also the subsequent six months spent recovering in the National Rehabilitation Hospital in Dun Laoghaire. Mark doesn't need me to publicly laud his show of character, or sporting efforts since the accident. In fact, knowing his personality (which is greatly embellished by quick-wit, honesty, and an unassuming nature not untypical of his rural background), Mark is more likely to cringe somewhat when reading pieces dedicated to his heroic story, rather than bask in the deserved limelight. Not that Mark is anti-publicity. He willingly puts himself forward as the face of Irish paracycling, in the hope that high-profile appearances will promote and highlight the greater cause of paracyling, and what it can bring to people's lives. For example, Mark features on the fantastically-crafted advertisement for Lucozade Sports, and his selection as one of 12 Sky Sports Scholars allowed him to commit full-time to paracyling as and from last year. Speaking to the Westmeath Independent, ahead of his departure to Portugal for a pre-Games training camp Mark said that, while there's an obvious responsibility to represent the country's paracycling community, and his nation, at the Games, that he doesn't feel any pressure to return home with a medal. "To be honest, this isn't something I ever intended to do," Mark admitted. "It's not like Katie Taylor or anything. I didn't think years ago, even after the accident, 'I'd love to compete at the Paralympics'. It's just something I sort of fell into. Things went well when I took up the sport, I had a few successes, and it sort of snowballed from there. If I take home a medal, all well and good, I'll be extremely proud. I've been training as hard as I can, and I feel confident enough about getting a medal, but the most important thing is to enjoy the experience and really savour my involvement in such a great event," he added. Medal favourite With two World Championships and a European title already to his name, Mark is going to be among the favourites to land gold in both the Handcycling Time-Trial and Handcycling Road Race events at Brands Hatch. "If I think back to over ten years ago, I was lying in a hospital bed and things didn't look too good for a while, and that puts thinking about medals or anything like that into perspective. At the same time, there's lots of people going through similar problems to the ones I did, and if I can boost them, or act as any sort of ambassador or inspiration to them, then I'm delighted with that. "Our athletes (all 49 of them) are hoping to make the whole country proud, and give people a lift along the way. All our athletes are of top-quality in their fields, and there's some amazing stories behind these Paralympians. I remember speaking to the Croatian basketball squad a few years back, and nine out of 12 players had been injured in the Balkan War. These type of stories puts everything into perspective, and I know that no matter what happens in London, I've already come through the biggest challenge of my life, and much the same applies to most other athletes at the Games," said Rohan. The opening ceremony of the 2012 Paralympics takes place today (Wednesday) at London's marvellous Olympic Stadium. Action at the Brands Hatch course begins for Mark next Wednesday, September 5, and of his fellow competitors, Mark said: "There's a few good ones emerging over the past year. There's usually a few French lads, two Austrians, an Israeli, a Belgian, and a Swiss guy in the mix. I think the Israeli fella (Koby Lion) will be favourite for the Time-Trial. I'd be confident about the Road Race, I love that race. It's non-stop tactics, while the Time-Trial is basically about fitness and seeing who the quickest is. I enjoy the Road Race and pushing myself. It's about thinking, about anticipating things, and about smartness," he said.