For Nathan Maguire, Team England wheelchair racer, the Commonwealth Games are about much more than medals.

They represent family, resilience and the journey that began when sport helped him rebuild his life after acquiring a disability at the age of eight.

“I started sport five days after I came out of hospital,” Maguire explains. “My parents were really proactive. They just wanted me to get back to being a normal eight-year-old again.”

At the time, he had never even heard of the Paralympics. That quickly changed after meeting his first basketball coach, a Paralympic champion who introduced him to what was possible through Para-sport.

“On the 5th of January 2006, I said to my dad, ‘I’m going to be a Paralympian one day.’”

That ambition eventually led him from wheelchair basketball into wheelchair racing, where he has gone on to compete at the highest level. Now, with another Commonwealth Games approaching, Maguire is preparing for what will be his third appearance for Team England — and his first as defending champion.

“Putting this England kit on is always really exciting,” he says. “But this is the first time I’m going into a championships trying to defend a medal, so that adds a little bit of pressure.”

The build-up to the Games has not been straightforward. Maguire is currently recovering from the first major injury of his career — a broken rib — forcing him away from regular training and competition.

“The hardest part has probably been the loss of identity,” he admits. “Not going to the track every day, not seeing everybody.”

Even through setbacks, the support around him continues to drive him forward. His wife Hannah, also a wheelchair racer and Official Kukri Sports Ambassador, along with family, coaches and teammates all play a huge role in keeping him motivated during the long road back to fitness.

“I thrive on that environment of being surrounded by a team,” he says. “My family come everywhere with me to watch. I’m never just doing it for me.”

That sense of purpose also shapes how Maguire views Para-sport more broadly. Alongside competing, he believes athletes have a responsibility to help improve opportunities and visibility for disabled people.

“If you look at a Para-athlete, we’ve almost got to be advocates for disabled people as well,” he explains. “You want to leave the sport better than you found it.”

It is also why he encourages young athletes to say yes to opportunities, even if they are unsure where they might lead.

“You just need to find your way in,” he says. “Once you start, so many opportunities can come from it.”

With the Commonwealth Games edging closer, Maguire’s focus is now firmly on recovery, preparation and the chance to once again represent Team England on one of sport’s biggest stages — this time with the added challenge of defending the title he worked so hard to win.