PARALYMPIAN RICHARD WHITEHEAD: 'MY LEGS COST ME £40,000 A YEAR'
Richard Whitehead, 49, is one of Britain’s most recognisable Paralympic athletes, winning gold medals in the 200m at the 2012 Summer Paralympics in London and the 2016 Summer Paralympics in Rio, Brazil. Born in Nottinghamshire with double through-knee congenital amputations, he worked in sport development before leaving to pursue elite athletics.
He was awarded an MBE in 2013. Since then, he has combined sprinting and marathon running with motivational speaking, consultancy and advocacy for disability inclusion. Whitehead lives in Nottinghamshire with his wife and two children. At the 2026 London Marathon, he broke his own world record for double-amputee runners.
How did your childhood influence your work ethic and attitude towards money?
My parents were both from working-class backgrounds. My father worked as a mechanic, which meant long shifts and sometimes antisocial hours. I could see how hard people worked to provide for their families, so I understood that money didn’t just appear; it came from effort.
My parents always said the things you earn yourself mean more than the things that are given to you, and that’s stayed with me all my life.
My parents were also very determined that my disability wouldn’t define what I could or couldn’t do. They pushed me into sports and activities from a young age.
In hindsight, they were forward-thinking because they got me into activities such as swimming and gymnastics, which were fantastic for developing balance, coordination and strength. That kind of environment builds confidence and independence quickly.
Were you determined to be financially independent at an early age?
Yes, absolutely. My parents wanted me to have the same opportunities and not feel limited by my disability, and that mindset carried through into adulthood. I wanted to build a career, earn my own living and prove to myself that I could do that.
When you earn your own money for the first time, it gives you a real sense of pride. I remember that feeling of being able to buy something myself rather than relying on my parents; it’s quite empowering when you’re young. You start to understand the value of money and the effort required to earn it.
Before becoming a full-time athlete, you worked full-time for a decade. What did that teach you about money?
I worked in education and community sports development, running programmes for young people and encouraging participation in sport. That gave me a good grounding in how organisations operate financially and how to build sustainable programmes.
I also set up a swim school, which was my first real experience of entrepreneurship. I quickly learnt about budgets, costs and the importance of managing money carefully.
Do you think about money differently from some athletes because you had a normal career first?
Yes. I didn’t become a full-time athlete until my late twenties, and I started competing seriously in running in 2004, when I was 28. When you’ve worked outside elite sport, you understand the value of a regular salary and the security that comes with it.
When I decided to pursue sport full-time, I knew exactly what I was walking away from financially. That makes you think very carefully about your decisions, because you’re not just chasing a dream; you’re giving something up as well.
Did pursuing elite sport feel like a financial risk at the time?
Yes, it did. I was earning around £30,000 a year working in sports development. I’d saved quite a bit of money, so I had a safety net that would allow me to pay my regular bills while I tried to make it work, but it was still a significant leap of faith.
When you’re starting out in elite sport, you don’t know if the investment of time and money will lead to success. There were definitely moments where I wondered whether I’d made the right decision. But I believed that if I committed and worked hard enough, I could make it work.
Is funding still one of the biggest challenges for Paralympic athletes?
Funding remains a major issue within Paralympic sport. The National Lottery funding that came in during the late 1990s transformed British sport, but it still doesn’t cover everything an athlete needs to compete at the highest level. And in many Paralympic sports, there’s very little prize money available. Outside of wheelchair racing, marathons, tennis and basketball, Paralympic athletes rarely receive prize money.
Visibility is another significant challenge. The more people see disabled athletes competing at the highest level, the more perceptions begin to change, and that affects everything from media coverage to sponsorship opportunities. Sponsorship is still much harder to secure because Paralympic sport isn’t as widely seen on TV.
One of the things I’ve noticed when travelling internationally is how differently Paralympic sport is structured across countries. In the United States, Olympic and Paralympic athletes sit under the same organisation, which creates a shared system of support, resources and visibility. That’s powerful, because Paralympic athletes are seen as part of the same sporting movement rather than something separate.
In the UK, we’ve made substantial progress, particularly since 2012, but structurally it’s still quite different. Olympic sport sits under one organisation, while ParalympicsGB operates as a charity. That inevitably affects funding, commercial partnerships and how the sports are perceived. Bringing those worlds closer together would send a strong message and help drive real change.
Did your success in 2012 change that?
My breakthrough came at the 2012 Summer Paralympics in London. The whole country was watching. Winning a gold medal in the 200m race changed my life because suddenly people recognised the sport and the athletes involved.
I went on to have a 10-year unbeaten run on the track, winning two Paralympic gold medals and four world titles. I’ve been fortunate to work with companies that understand what Paralympic sport is about and the impact it can have.
Brand partnerships aren’t just about logos on a shirt. They’re about telling a powerful story of resilience, determination and pushing boundaries.
What are the hidden costs of being a Paralympian?
The costs are enormous, particularly for equipment. My running blades cost about £1,000 each, and the socket that attaches the blade to my leg costs between £4,000 and £7,000. That means a full prosthetic running leg can cost between £7,000 and £10,000, and because I’m a double amputee, I need two.
When I run a marathon, I use a brand-new set of blades. Last year, I ran 20 marathons, which meant about £40,000 worth of running blades – just for races. Even my everyday prosthetics are extremely expensive. The robotic knees I walk on cost £30,000 to £40,000 each.
I’ve calculated that I’ve gone through hundreds of sets of running blades over my career, which equates to hundreds of thousands of pounds. I’ve been sponsored by the prosthetics company Össur since 2005, and without those partnerships, there’s no way I could compete at this level.
What’s the biggest lesson you’ve learnt about money?
Understanding that money doesn’t define success. It’s important because it provides security and opportunity, but ultimately, what matters is the impact you have and the life you build. When you have financial stability, you have choices and can focus on what matters most.
What’s the biggest lesson you’ve passed on to your children?
The value of hard work. I want my kids to understand that success doesn’t happen overnight. It comes from commitment, discipline and being prepared to keep going even when things are difficult.
What charities do you support?
I’ve always been passionate about creating opportunities for other people, particularly young people with disabilities. I set up the Richard Whitehead Foundation in 2021 to help disabled people live happier, healthier lives through sport and physical activity.
When I was growing up, there weren’t many visible role models with disabilities in sport, so I want to show children what’s possible. When their perception shifts, they stop seeing disability as a limitation and begin to see potential.
What’s the best business or financial decision you’ve ever made? And the worst?
The best decision I’ve made is building a strong team around me. I credit Rob Woodhouse, a sports agent, with helping shape my career.
One thing I realised quite early on was that you can’t rely on one income stream as an athlete. Alongside competing, I’ve built other areas of work, including motivational speaking, coaching, training programmes and consulting with organisations on inclusion and accessibility.
That diversification has been important because it gives you financial resilience. It also extends your career and allows you to create opportunities beyond sport.
The worst decision? I think sometimes I’ve stretched myself financially, which can create pressure. The pandemic also affected my income. Many speaking engagements and sponsorship opportunities disappeared overnight. But instead of panicking, I used that time to focus on building my foundation and thinking about long-term legacy rather than short-term income.
Are you a saver or a spender?
I’d probably say I’m more of a spender. I enjoy nice clothes, designer fragrances and good food. But experiences matter more than possessions. I love being able to share those experiences with my family, whether that’s holidays, meals or time together.
What does financial success mean to you?
Happiness is more important to me than something money alone can’t bring. Financial stability gives me the freedom to build the life I want, but money is a number. What matters most is the legacy I create.
2026-05-03T10:05:38Z
