Dual-sport para-athlete Sean Chigumba is already dreaming of gold medal days at the Commonwealth and Paralympic Games. The 19-year-old wheelchair basketball player and track racer from Milton Keynes has been playing wheelchair basketball for 15 years since he was a toddler, while he picked up track racing in 2022, in the T34 classification. He spoke at SportsAid Live, which brought together young people, parents and carers, and coaches at Alexander Stadium, to discuss and seek advice from each other ensuring that young people are prepared for elite sport.
Early Start in Sport
Chigumba said: “I started playing sport when I was four years old, my teacher took me to a school event, and it had loads of different para-sports. I started playing wheelchair basketball when I was five and I’ve never looked back. After I played my first game for my basketball team in Stoke Mandeville, I knew that I needed to continue and take it further.”
“Around the same time, the Rio 2016 Paralympics were on, and I knew I wanted to be in that position in front of hundreds of people. I want to get to the Commonwealth Games and Paralympics on multiple occasions and win multiple gold medals in both sports.”
Team England Futures Programme
In partnership with Commonwealth Games England, SportsAid deliver the Team England Futures programme, that gives athletes, coaches and support staff insight into the demands of multi-sport events, helping prepare them for future Commonwealth and Olympic Games. Wheelchair basketball and racing will both feature at the 2026 Commonwealth Games, to be held in Glasgow from 23 July to 2 August.
On the route to Glasgow 2026, the King’s Baton Relay also made a stop at the Alexander Stadium with Team England’s official automotive partner Geely playing a central role in England’s leg. Chigumba detailed how SportsAid has helped him on his journey to world titles with Team GB’s junior sides, and a BUCS national championship with the University of Nottingham.
Support from SportsAid
“SportsAid has helped me a lot, we travel a lot and could be in Cardiff one weekend, the next in Scotland. For them to help us financially has been amazing,” he said. “Events like SportsAid Live have also helped a lot, where I’ve been able to speak to other athletes I wouldn’t have before.”
“One of the main things from Team England Futures has been preparing for a multi-sport games event, taking a lot in from that would be helpful for my future. All the mentors and athletes in Team England Futures have talked about being part of a team, that’s important and hopefully I can do my bit.”
Looking Ahead to Glasgow 2026
Commonwealth Games England has appointed SportsAid to lead the delivery of Team England Futures for the Glasgow 2026 Commonwealth Games. Building on the success of the programme at Birmingham 2022, Team England Futures will provide athletes, coaches and support staff with valuable insight and experience of a major multi-sport Games environment, helping them prepare for future Commonwealth, Olympic and Paralympic opportunities.
