Devon Briggs: The Para Cyclist Who Found Freedom on a Bicycle

When Devon Briggs was a child, the last thing he imagined was becoming one of the world's top para cyclists. His journey began with an enormous challenge: he was born with bilateral club feet, a condition that shaped his early years and forced him to undergo 19 surgeries before turning 10. While other children ran and played, Briggs spent much of his childhood on crutches, in a wheelchair, and enduring long rehabilitation periods.

According to the athlete's own testimony shared with the New Zealand Olympic Committee, those years were also marked by bullying at school, making his childhood even more difficult. Doctors also advised him to avoid impact sports because of the physical limitations in his ankles.

For years, he searched for a sport where he truly belonged. He tried several activities, but none sparked a genuine passion. Everything changed thanks to an unexpected recommendation while riding his bike during rehabilitation near his local velodrome. A bike mechanic suggested he give track cycling a try. That conversation changed his life forever.

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A World Champion Who Never Stopped Believing

Briggs' rise was remarkable. During his first World Championship appearances, he quickly began reaching the podium and soon established himself as one of the standout athletes in the C3 classification. Today, his impressive résumé includes two world titles, 12 World Championship medals, and a world record in the 1km time trial.

However, even after reaching the elite level, his journey was far from easy. Just weeks before the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games, Briggs was struck by a motorbike while competing in Switzerland. The diagnosis was devastating: a fractured sacrum and a dislocated coccyx. Many experts believed it would be impossible for him to recover in time to compete.

Against all odds, he committed to an intensive rehabilitation program and made it to Paris, once again demonstrating extraordinary mental strength. Although he was unable to compete at full capacity, simply reaching the start line was already a victory after a recovery that once seemed impossible.

Glasgow 2026 Marks a Historic Moment for Para Cycling

Now, Devon Briggs is preparing for a new challenge as part of New Zealand's team at the Glasgow 2026 Commonwealth Games, an edition that represents a milestone for adaptive sport.

For the first time in the history of the event, para cycling is officially part of the Commonwealth Games program, a major step forward that many athletes believe will help increase the visibility of Paralympic sport.

Briggs will compete in the C3 classification, racing against athletes with similar lower-limb impairments. His schedule includes the 1km time trial and the 3km individual pursuit, two events where he has already proven he can contend for international medals.

More Than an Athlete: An Inspiration to Thousands

The New Zealander insists that many disabilities are not visible and admits he still faces prejudice when using accessible parking spaces because some people believe he "doesn't look disabled." That reality motivates him to continue raising awareness.

Away from competition, Briggs also dedicates part of his time to coaching young cyclists and working as an instructor, convinced that sport has the power to transform lives just as it transformed his own.

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