Davy Zyw launches bid to become first snowsports athlete with MND to compete at Winter Paralympics

10 December 2024

Davy Zyw, who was diagnosed with motor neuron disease (MND) at just 30 years old, wants to become the first snowsports athlete with the condition to compete at the Paralympic Games. 

Davy, now 37 and a former competitive snowboarder, has set his sights on the Winter Paralympic Games in Milan in 2026, and cleared a major hurdle this month when medics gave him the green light to compete – provided he qualifies through a tightly contested Parasport World Cup series.

If successful in qualifying, Zyw would become the first Paralympian with MND ever to compete in snowsports – and the first Paralympic athlete with the disease from the UK in any sport. Rower Nick Scandone competed in the Paralympics in 2008 with MND, while curler Cathy Cummins, who was diagnosed in 2005, was an alternate on the US team in Sochi 2014. However, nobody has competed in the Winter Olympics with MND. 

Zyw – who harboured ambitions of becoming a full-time professional – was sponsored by major snowsports brands in his teens and early twenties, competing at international age group level before a serious knee injury forced him to focus on a career outside of sport. 

In October, Zyw made history by becoming the first person with MND ever to compete at international level parasport snowsports when he won two silver medals in the banked slalom at the FIS Para Snowboard event in Dubai. His best times were just 0.3 seconds behind experienced para snowboarders, including Slovakia’s Adam Kropka – a clear sign Zyw is good enough to compete at the top level.

Davy followed that up with 12th place at the second event in Holland last week, competing against the previous Paralympic champions from Beijing 2022. He still must earn enough points over the coming season to reach the FIS Para Snowboard World Cup series. From there, he needs a top 15 to qualify for Milan.

He said: “It’d be unbelievable to make it – I get goosebumps thinking about it. At this stage, it’s almost impossible to imagine myself there. The standard of competition is incredibly high, many of my fellow para athletes are full time snowboarders so I’m taking nothing for granted, but to be able to compete at this level is really encouraging. I need to get faster and tighten my technique for the next races, but feel I’m making progress every time I step in.”

The Edinburgh dad was diagnosed with MND in 2018, and has since dedicated huge amounts of time and effort to raising more than £1m for MND causes, including My Name’5 Doddie Foundation, through gruelling endurance challenges – including cycling 264 miles across the notorious ‘High Five’ route in the Scottish Highlands in 2022, and riding from Edinburgh to Rome earlier this year. 

Zyw will compete in the Upper Limb category, against para athletes with a range of disabilities affecting their limbs, including amputees. Zyw’s MND predominantly impacts his hands and arms at present, but will eventually move to other parts of his body. Despite all his fundraising, he believes qualifying for the Winter Paralympics could be his toughest challenge yet, but is determined to give it his all, not only for himself, but to raise further awareness of MND and help the cause and community.

He said: “To qualify for the Winter Paralympics would be phenomenal – it feels a long way off despite the hurdles I’ve already cleared. I thought I was going to be dead within two years when I was diagnosed in 2018, and here I am gearing up for a winter of snowboard racing – I feel incredibly lucky. I am dreaming big and taking the opportunities in front of me, and hope I’m good enough to qualify. Above all I’m going to enjoy the journey and hope to raise awareness along the way. Perhaps, unusually for a para athletes, I’m thrilled that I’m eligible. At one point, I wasn’t even sure I’d be able to compete as there wasn’t a category for MND, or neurological conditions. When they told me I’d at least be able to try was an incredible feeling.

“The nature of MND means I’m only going to get weaker and more adversely affected as the disease progresses. I have full range of movement in some areas, some muscles are totally gone, and others are in the grey zone. It puts me in a position where I know that even if I get there, I’ll be performing at a lower level versus some other athletes, and yet I’m more able bodied than others – but that doesn’t deter me. Everyone competing in parasport has had huge challenges to overcome by just being on their snowboards, it is a truly inspiring group of athletes to compete with.”

The next steps are six competitions across Europe, with rounds in Finland, Austria, and Germany. Another challenge will be funding the bid, as until Zyw qualifies for the World Cup series, it is entirely self funded. So far his efforts are supported by his twin brother Tommy, but believes it will cost at least £15,000 to attend the races he needs. He is setting up a GoFundMe Page to help him get to the events required to qualify.

He added: “Tommy has been an incredible support, as he always has been, and we’re looking for potential sponsors to help achieve this goal. I’ll give it my all to make it to Milan.

“It’s ironic that having MND may now offer a route to fulfill my childhood dream, to compete at snowboarding on the world stage. It’s hard not to get emotional about that. I can’t believe this cruel disease has taken me back to my roots and love of the mountain. But this is a chance to put MND in the global spotlight at one of the biggest sporting events in the world. I have to do it for everybody living with MND.”

Paul Thompson, Director of Fundraising at My Name’5 Doddie Foundation, said: “Davy has defied all the odds to achieve what he has in support of the Foundation and the wider MND community. It would not surprise me one bit if he was to go the whole way to the Winter Paralympics – nobody has greater determination.

“He has already made history in competing in global parasports with MND, and the whole MND community and beyond will be behind him as he seeks to make more in qualifying for Milan 2026. Best of luck Davy, you can do it!” 

To follow Davy’s efforts to qualify, follow him on social media.