Mel Nicholls Smashes World Record
Meet Mel Nicholls who has just completed a hand cycle tour of Britain and broken the world record, completing 4800 miles in just 75 days!
Mel is no stranger to tackling both physical and mental challenges, a series of life changing strokes has meant Mel lost her ability to walk and use much of the left side of her body in 2008. After watching the Beijing Paralympics from her hospital bed, Mel took up wheelchair racing and went on to compete in the London 2012 olympics, just 15 months after taking up the sport.
Mel went on as part of the GB Athletics team to represent her country for the next 4 years, achieving track world records, European and World major medal success and becoming a Paralympic finalist at both the London 2012 and Rio 2016 Olympics. At the end of 2016 Mel made the move from track to turn her focus to endurance and road racing in wheelchair racing and her new sport of handcycling, where in her first season on the GB team achieved international medal success.
Mel has been reliant on crutches since 2008 and has used Cool Crutches to support her daily life, Mel has designed a few pairs of personalised crutches over the years - one featuring an Ordinance Survey map in pink to support their Get Outside campaign and another patriotic pink Union Jack pair.
This year Mel set herself the enormous challenge of handcycling her way around Great Britain and breaking the current world record. Following a cancer diagnosis last year and consequent operation and treatment to remove an 11lbs tumour, Mel's mission to raise awareness of ovarian cancer and funds for the brilliant Ovarian Cancer Action has been nothing short of sensational.
The challenge was one of mental as well as physical endurance but one that Mel accomplished with a huge smile on her face! Mel has been a beacon of positivity throughout her life and never ceases to amaze us with her passion for life. She really is the definition of cool - huge congratulations on smashing yet another world record Mel, we are in awe!
To find out more about Mel, her work and what's next, please visit https://melnicholls.co.uk/Home
