Nick Mayhugh

With each sip of coffee, later revealed to be among the best in Florida, and bursts of laughter between stories, I fell deeper into Nick’s world beyond Tokyo and podiums. Born with cerebral palsy, a disability that is invisible yet integral to who he is, he learned early how to turn obstacles into opportunities, from stubborn mornings on the soccer field to relentless hours on the track. Behind every race is meticulous preparation, mental pressure, and the challenge of finding purpose after reaching the pinnacle of his sport. Today, he continues to write his story both on and off the track, blending athletic triumph with a growing presence in fashion, having been the face of SKIMS in 2024 for their Team USA campaign. Even someone who has stepped onto a track in front of seventy thousand fans at the Paris 2024 Paralympics admits he was terrified during the shoot, and in all fairness, it is not every day you leave the house to model in your boxers.

Nick lives in a world of intense motion, but as this chat proved, he always finds a way to stay grounded, whether it is his puppy or his newborn nephew. He is candid about the pressures of elite sport, moments of doubt, and the lessons he has learned about resilience and self-belief, making it clear that a disability does not define him or how he wants to be treated. “Just treat us the same,” he says, “we all bleed the same, we all love the same, we are people.” Through it all, Nick reminds us that greatness is not only measured in victories but in the way we move through life, celebrate small joys, and lift others along the way.

Hey Nick! It’s so great to meet you! Thank you for taking the time to chat today. Where in the world are you joining from?
Hi! It’s really nice to meet you, too. I’m calling in from Orlando, Florida.

Ah, I was actually there just last month! That sounds lovely. Do you live in Florida full-time?
Yeah, this is home. I live and train here full time, and I’ve been here for a few years now.

That sounds great, I’m a little jealous. Let’s start with something fun to ease us in. If your life were a movie, who would play you, and what’s the one scene the world would need to see to understand who you are?
That’s a good question. I don’t think I’ve ever been asked that before. I have been asked who I’d like to play me in a movie, though, and based specifically on what my mom has said, she thinks Tom Holland would be perfect for the role. Anytime she sees him, she says I look a little like him. So I’d probably pick Tom Holland. As for a moment from my life that should be in the movie, I think we can go with the pinnacle of my career, which would be Tokyo. Seeing Tom Holland try to run as fast as I can would be pretty cool. [laughs]

Oh, I love that! I was actually thinking about this question before our chat, and Tom Holland was the first name that came to mind for me, too. Speaking of your life as a movie, if you think about the soundtrack, is there an artist or song you feel absolutely has to be included?
Oh, I have not been asked that. I don’t think there’s a specific one because there are so many songs that I connect to different moments and different seasons. Most recently, it was really hot this summer in Florida, and I was into country music, so probably something by Luke Combs. He’s my favourite country artist.

To be honest, I’ve never listened to him before, but I’ll definitely check him out!
Have you heard “Ordinary” by Alex Warren?

Ah, yes! The one that’s been blowing up on TikTok lately?
Yeah, that one! He recently redid that song featuring Luke Combs.

I’ll have to give it a listen later. It makes me think about how fast-paced your world must be. With so much going on, what’s one thing in your daily routine that always helps keep you grounded?
The mornings I spend with my puppy. He’s almost two now. No matter how much I think he’s trained or how much work I put into trying to train him, he grounds me more than any human on earth. He just does whatever he wants, whenever he wants. [laughs] We go on walks, I throw his ball, feed him, and do everything I normally do with him. He will sit out on my balcony while I read or scroll through social media. When I wake up in the mornings, he’s always right by my side. Those mornings with my dog are truly the ones I cherish most.

I feel the same way about my cat. [laughs] Thinking beyond your puppy, training, and competition, what is something in your life right now that truly brings you joy?
Spending time with my family is number one. I actually just got back yesterday after spending a week with them. My sister-in-law had my first nephew, so getting to spend time with him and watch him grow is really special. I was able to catch up on so many moments I missed while training full-time.

Ah, that’s really sweet. Are you the only one in your family living in Florida?
Yes, it’s just me. One of my aunts lives here, but she’s two hours away, so it’s not that close. Everyone else is on the East Coast, but nowhere near Florida.

At least your puppy is keeping you busy! [laughs] Switching gears, you probably write down random thoughts in your Notes app. What’s the last thing you wrote?
It was one where I had to re-do a password. [laughs] That’s where I organise all my passwords, which is what I did this morning. I was also writing down things I want in a home. My brother is a realtor, and we were driving around looking at places, so I was noting things I’ll want. Other than that, I was on my Notes app a lot with my family, writing down baby names.

I feel like most of us have a running list of baby names on our Notes app, don’t we?
Exactly! I put some on there that my sister-in-law said that I definitely don’t want. She was saying some crazy names!

Shifting a bit more to your story and career, do you ever feel like that younger version of yourself, the one who was told sports were impossible, is still running alongside you today?
Oh yes, all the time. Anytime I’m on the track or in the gym, and I’m humbled by something I think I can’t do, or I try to do something with my left side and I’m too tired, that little kid inside me is always there. Every time I look in the mirror, I know he’s proud, but he’s also reminding me, “Live within your means. Stop trying to do things you can’t do, but push your limits.” He’s definitely there every step I take.

That’s really inspiring. It’s not easy to stay motivated and humble, and I think a lot of us can relate to that struggle. That actually ties into my next question. Winning gold and breaking a world record is every athlete’s dream, yet in a previous interview, you mentioned it didn’t bring the happiness you expected. How did you get through that period?
It was one of the hardest moments of my life. I had always tied success and happiness to achievement, whether it was winning gold, breaking records, scoring goals, or winning awards. I thought those milestones would bring me happiness. But happiness is a feeling or a moment, and those things never last. After the Games, I woke up a few days later in the same apartment I had lived in for two years of training, with nothing to train for. I could do whatever I wanted, because I finally did it. I was done, but I didn’t know what to do. I didn’t really feel like I had a purpose after that. That was so tough. I leaned on my family, especially my older brother, my mom, and my dad, talking through how I felt. I don’t want to use the word ”grief” because it feels too heavy, but I was learning to process everything and find a new purpose. Everyone faces moments like this in their own way. For me, it’s about discovering a new sense of purpose, and honestly, I’m still figuring that out.

Yes, I think feeling a little lost and trying to chase a certain kind of happiness is something everyone goes through. I really connect with the way you described it. Honestly, I think it’s something that should be talked about more.
Thank you, I really appreciate that. I completely agree with you.

Building on what we were just talking about, because your disability is invisible to the eye, has that ever made you feel unseen or misunderstood, even within the para-sport world?
Yes, absolutely, especially in the para-sport world. If you check my social media, you’ll find a few videos that might get me in trouble in that space, but I see it as something positive. Having an invisible disability allows me to speak up for people who don’t have a voice in para-sport because their disability is even less visible or they aren’t included at all, so they don’t get the chance to compete. After my most recent video about the classification system, I loved seeing athletes in the comments share their experiences, connect, and create a small community to navigate it together.

It’s hard to live life not in a “normal” way, and it definitely has its downsides. But it’s my life, and I try to approach it as positively and honestly as I can. I want to use my voice as much as possible and highlight para-sport and the challenges we face. There’s still a lot to do, but I think it’s moving in the right direction.

I love what you’re doing. I’ve seen some of your videos on social media, and while some people might take certain comments or criticism personally, you’re using them to express yourself and create a space for people who might feel unseen or misunderstood. I really appreciate that.
Exactly! Thank you so much, it means a lot.

Staying on that topic, at the Paris Games, you dyed your hair to mirror your brain scan, making your story visible for everyone to see. What was it like stepping onto the track with that image as part of you?
Well, first, it was a little itchy. [laughs] Going through the bleaching process wasn’t very fun. But it was great. I always try to use the platform I’ve been given. Many athletes forget that having a platform is a responsibility. People support you, follow you, and that can disappear quickly, so as long as people want to listen, I want to use my voice in the best way I can.

Something visual, like a hairstyle or tattoos, is easy to capture. You train for years leading up to the Paralympic or Olympic Games, and then your race is just nine or ten seconds, or if you’re lucky, you compete for an hour. That’s a tiny amount of time, so I wanted to maximise attention and bring awareness to something important to me personally, while also representing an entire class of competitors who are minimally affected by their disability.

The biggest goal for me was to create a conversation. The Paralympics doesn’t always explain disabilities clearly, and it can be hard to follow everything. Even as an athlete, I don’t always fully understand it. I wanted to spark a discussion about my disability and classification. Win or lose, being able to do that was bigger than anything I did on the track.

What you just said is so important. In preparing for this interview, I’ve gotten to know your story better, and the more I learned, the more I realised how much representation matters. Being able to talk to you, and knowing that people will read this makes me really excited to be part of sharing your story.
Thank you so much. If you’re genuinely interested in my story, I was born like this. Among some athletes and colleagues, this has become a bit of an inside joke [laughs], though it might not seem funny to everyone. Many athletes I’ve met have faced traumatic experiences, whether it’s an accident, a serious injury, or losing a limb in the military. It’s incredible what they’ve been through. Within that community, we sometimes joke, and they’ll say I haven’t gone through anything because I was born this way. It really shows the sense of humour and resilience in para-sport and how athletes find ways to cope with challenges. I’d encourage anyone reading this to explore other stories, because mine is just the tip of the iceberg. Every new athlete I meet brings a story or a disability I hadn’t heard of before. It’s truly inspiring.

Your career has taken some big turns, from soccer to sprinting. How do you turn those moments into opportunities to grow?
Honestly, I just roll with the punches, and that’s the best I can do. Coming from soccer, I’ve faced a lot of challenges. Even something as simple as my feet being used to running on grass made me unprepared for the track, which led to my injury this year. My right foot isn’t conditioned the same as other athletes who’ve been jumping for years, so it was more easily hurt.

Beyond the physical side, there’s the mental challenge of not being the best right away. I left soccer at a high point, having just won U.S. Soccer Player of the Year. Stepping onto the track for the first time, I was terrible. [laughs] I came last in my first hundred-meter race. Learning to accept that and navigate the little things was tough, but it taught me that it’s okay not to be okay. As long as you get back up, you win. I’m trying to fit a lifetime of sport into a small window, especially in track, where your time to succeed is limited. I’ll fail a lot along the way, but I also know I’m going to win more than I lose, and I’m learning every single day.

What’s one skill or mindset from the pitch that still shows up when you’re sprinting?
The mindset of believing I’m the best in the world. [laughs] As funny as it sounds, you need to be a little cocky. You have to be self-centred in this sense. If you have the ball at your feet, taking a defender one-on-one, you can’t submit and think he’s better than you, because he’s not. You need to think, I’m going to get around you, I’m faster than you, I’m better than you, I’m going to score, my team is going to win this game. On the track, it’s really just you, and that’s the scariest part. When they say “on your marks” and you step into the blocks, your team, your family, and everyone who’s supported you are not with you. If you miss, fall, or don’t come in first, you lose. They didn’t lose, you did. It’s intense and intimidating. That mindset is still with me every time I step foot on the track. I genuinely believe I’m the best in the world, and there’s not a race where I think I’m going to lose. Every track athlete is a little “twisted” in a way. You have to be. In some ways, I’m a very different person on and off the track. [laughs]

Since we’re talking about being the best, you train alongside some of the fastest sprinters in the world. What has surprised you the most about sharing lanes with athletes like that?
We can learn from each other. I’m turning thirty soon, and these kids are light-years faster. Granted, they don’t have a disability, but they’re only twenty. Their mentality, self-talk, self-belief, and the challenges they haven’t faced yet are things I can see and learn from, and at the same time, I can share my experience with them. I’ve been through a lot, and as crazy as it sounds, I have more experience on the Paralympic stage and in international events than some of these athletes who are among the fastest in the world.

Being part of that group is an incredible honour. At first, I was intimidated by the level of success and the number of accomplished athletes, but they welcomed me, and we created a family. It’s been amazing to learn from them, run alongside them, and just enjoy the process together.

That sounds so fun, honestly. Is there a small ritual or quirky habit you do before a race that most people wouldn’t expect?
I read that in Japanese culture, it’s good luck to put on your left shoe before your right. So when I got to Tokyo, I always put on my left shoe first. That stuck with me ever since. Especially after I won in Tokyo, I thought, Well, I can’t break this now! I always try to do it before I get on the track or before a big race. If I can’t remember whether I did it, I’ll take my shoes off before I go out there to get a little extra luck, you know?

I’ve never heard that one before! [laughs] Since we’re still talking about the moments before a race, standing on the starting line, what goes through your mind before that first step?
I try to just take in the moment. In Tokyo, there wasn’t anybody in the stands because of COVID. If the stands had been full, it would have felt completely different. Paris was a different story. I tried to take it all in, knowing my mom and dad were there, along with all the fans, my manager, and everyone who had helped me to that point. The sheer number of people was incredible. I think there were seventy thousand. Before they say “On your marks!” I like to take a moment to look around, digest everything, and take a couple of mental pictures. I tell myself, “I’m here, I belong here.” It’s a way to appreciate life. People take things too seriously sometimes, and we’re floating on a rock right now, so why stress over something so crazy? [laughs]

I can’t even imagine standing in front of seventy thousand people! I remember going to the Paralympics in Rio in 2016 and watching all those athletes, thinking, How do they do that? [laughs]
It’s not as bad as you think! I’d much rather be around seventy thousand people than thirty in a room. It’s a lot less scary. [laughs]

I have so much respect for you for being able to stand in front of all those people. Thinking about your platform, using your voice to change how people see para-athletes, what is one assumption you wish people would finally retire?
That we want to be treated differently. People often assume we need help or special treatment, but we don’t. I’ve never met a disabled athlete, or even a disabled person, who wanted help without asking for it. Whether it’s someone in a wheelchair, an amputee, or anyone with a visible or invisible disability, let them figure it out. That’s what we want.

When people find out someone has a disability, they often change the way they talk or act, like they have to be extra nice or careful. Honestly, just treat us the same. We’re not different from anyone else. We all bleed the same, we all love the same, we are people. A lot of people who’ve been through things like that are actually better people because of it. Maybe it’s time to flip the script on society. [laughs]

You’ve worked with brands like SKIMS and built a presence in fashion. How does it feel to represent para-athletes outside the track?
It feels really good. It was pretty scary, standing there in my boxers in front of a whole room of women and a few men. But honestly, it was great. It’s something I’ve always wanted to do. My grandma was a model, and she got me into fashion when I was young, so I hope I’m making her proud. I want to keep learning, do larger campaigns and events, and make a name for myself in that world. I knew nothing about it at first, just like when I started track and field, so hopefully I can take over modelling the same way. I don’t think that would be a bad idea. [laughs]

I’m sure you can; that SKIMS campaign was iconic if you ask me.
Thank you, I had a lot of fun with that. I felt like I could do anything after standing naked in front of a room full of people.

Do you feel like you’re showing a new version of yourself when you step into something like that, or is it all part of the same story you’ve been telling through sport?
Absolutely. I think it’s going to teach me a lot of lessons I would have never learned on the track because it’s such a different world. Whether it’s controlling every part of your body or being aware of your expressions, there are a lot of similarities to sport. Even though I was born this way, or born with a little less than someone next to me, I can still do amazing things. Hopefully, that helps kids who are like me see that connection and inspires other para-athletes to realise they can achieve more than what is expected. At the end of the day, I just want to be a role model and show that you can do anything you set your mind to.

Talking about being a role model, if a young athlete with a disability is reading this, what’s the first thing you’d want them to believe about themselves?
I want them to believe in themselves, first and foremost. That’s the most important thing. Before anyone else can believe in you, you have to believe in yourself. If you don’t, no one else really can. The other thing I always say is that it’s okay not to be okay. Nobody’s perfect, and no one has good days all the time. You’ll probably have more tough days than good ones until it evens out. That’s just life. It keeps you humble and teaches you along the way. If you live by those two things, you’ll have a good life. Have fun with it. People tend to take things too seriously.

Fast forward ten years, what do you hope people know Nick Mayhugh for?
Ohh! I want to own a coffee shop, one at the beach. I hope by then I’ll have done enough that people know me for what I do on and off the track. The impact I make in the community is the most important thing to me. I want people to understand and recognise the positive impact I’ve had on para-sport, raising awareness of the Paralympics, and encouraging people to step out of their comfort zone with their disability and give it a shot. Whether they succeed or fail, by deciding to try, they win.

But I also want people to know me for the great coffee I make. [laughs] I’m drinking some of my own right now! I want to open a coffee shop called “Nick’s” on the beach, where locals and families who visit every summer can check in, update me on their lives, and hang out. I just want to create a positive community where people feel comfortable and safe, can relax, fish, or just enjoy the beach all day.

I wasn’t expecting the coffee shop at all, but I love it! Would you open it in Florida?
I’m not sure! Probably? Maybe I’ll open a few. It’s a long-term goal, but it’s my dream for down the road. It would be after I retire, have my kids, see them through college, and not have to worry about a lot. You know? I want to live and enjoy the life I’ve built. I want to be remembered for the great coffee shop.

In ten years, I hope to try that coffee!
You will! Free coffee for life, for you.