When Nick Mayhugh walked off the track at the 2025 World Para Athletics Championships in New Delhi, he could “still feel that pit” in his stomach. He could remember how he felt when he was informed that his “MRI was worse than we thought the day I left for Nationals.” The American sprinter had finished fourth in the T37 long jump final, narrowly missing the podium. Yet, his post on social media revealed the deeper story behind that performance. “4th in the World. PB, American Record,” he wrote. And after the meet, he revealed the real reason behind why he faltered.

For an athlete who has cerebral palsy and competes across both T37 and T38 classifications, even reaching Delhi to represent his nation was a victory of its own. In the social media post after his race in Delhi, he wrote, “The competitor in me is frustrated leaving Worlds without a medal, but it’s a humble reminder that I’m human. It took everything I have mentally and physically to even get here, and I’m proud of what I accomplished this year.”

In a conversation with Atharv Phadke of EssentiallySports hours after his race, Mayhugh confirmed he had competed with a broken bone in his foot. “I mean, you know, I have a boot. So, you know, I broke a bone in my foot,” he explained. “To be able to come out here and put that behind me and just come out and compete to the best that I can, I leave here with a personal best in the long jump, and I can be proud of that.”

His foot injury offered a significant challenge. However, as per Mayhugh, the greater battles for many Paralympians lie in perception. “The main thing that I go through is the classification portion,” Mayhugh shared. “Somebody looks at me and they say I don’t look disabled, or that I run too fast for my disability. And, you know, it’s some things like that that are very unfair.” To him, the constant misjudgement from spectators and officials reflects how far the sporting world still has to go in understanding para-athletes. “That’s why I speak so much about it on social media — try to just educate as much as I can.”

That sense of composure has long defined Mayhugh’s approach. “It’s not what I wanted. I wanted to leave here with a medal,” he said candidly. “But you can’t always get what you want.” 

Education for Mayhugh is not just about awareness but about equality. He circled back to the idea that Paralympic athletes deserve to be treated on par with their Olympic counterparts. “I mean, I think we just need the same support,” he said. “I want fans to hate me. I want fans to love me. I want people to make fun of me. I want people to treat me like they would somebody else that doesn’t have a disability.” 

Still, despite his advocacy and global recognition, Mayhugh remains grounded in the daily grind of improvement. Whether it is breaking an American record with an injured foot or addressing misconceptions about his condition, he continues to balance competition with purpose. “At the end of the day, it’s sports,” he said, summarizing his vision for the future. “We want to be treated the same. I think it’s moving in the right direction. It’ll take a while, but hopefully I can have a positive part in that.”

In the same conversation with EssentiallySports, Mayhugh addressed the persistent lack of public support for Paralympic athletes. And as the 2028 Paralympic Games are approaching, the Olympian also shared his visions for the same.

Nick Mayhugh expects greater global support for Paralympic athletes ahead of LA

Nick further reflected on a truth that rarely reaches the spotlight – the quiet stands that too often greet Paralympic athletes. When asked about the empty seats in New Delhi, he corrected the assumption that such scenes were uncommon. “That is not true,” he said plainly. “For the Olympics and a lot of the able-bodied, they may have a full crowd. But in the US, it’s very similar to what we saw in India.” His words carried the weight of someone who had seen the contrast firsthand.

Mayhugh did not dwell on disappointment. Instead, he spoke of persistence, the kind that demands patience and advocacy. “That just goes on everybody — including (me) just trying to advocate more, get the word out, and people will want to come and support,” he said. “It’ll be trouble for a long time,” Mayhugh further added, “but, you know, in the end, it’ll be worth it.”

Meanwhile, the conversation soon shifted toward the LA28 games. And Mayhugh sounded quite positive. “It’s going to be insane,” he said with unmistakable pride. The Paralympian believed that the home games would bring a surge of attention the movement deserved. “I think it’s going to be even better for the Paralympics than it was in Paris and even Tokyo.”

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