Iain Dawson is a visually impaired multi-sport athlete who competed in cycling at the Sydney 2000 Paralympics.

What drew you to cycling?

It offered me the opportunity to be independently mobile and explore the countryside. In terms of competing I have always enjoyed the sense of speed and working towards a shared goal. I also enjoyed winning!

How do you communicate with your pilot?

It can be difficult when racing flat out as moving at high speed creates a lot of wind noise. Basically, pilot shouts key information such as left and right turns, when a hill is coming up, or when another team attacks in a road race. On the track I count laps tell the pilot at key intervals. You also pick up cues from the pilot’s movement that help you anticipate what is about to happen. In triathlon we use tether ropes and tactile senses to orientate during the swim and run sections.

What does being a Paralympian mean to you?

It was a great honour to represent my country. It’s nice to think that as a team we were good enough to compete with the best in the world, even though we just missed out on a medal in Sydney.

To read more about Para cycling, visit our sports page