Athlete Profile
Athlete of the day
06.09.2004
JACKSON Simon
Country: Great
Britain
Sport: Judo
Class: B2
Jackson, who has a visual impairment, began Judo at the age of 11 and
received his Black belt at 18, just prior to winning his first Paralympic gold
in Seoul in 1988. In Barcelona 1992, he won his second gold medal in a fight
that lasted a mere five seconds. He followed this with a third gold at Atlanta
in 1996 and a bronze at Sydney in 2000 – a match that ended a 159 fight winning
streak that stretched over 12 years. As a holder of 3 World Championship and 12
European titles, Jackson, now a Member of the British Empire (MBE), will be out
to claim the gold again at ATHENS 2004, retaining his title of ‘king of the
mat’. In Athens, Jackson will be competing in the under 73kg category and his
top competition is expected to be from Sergiy Sydorenko of the Ukraine and Hani
Asakereh of Iran. Jackson also contributes significantly to help people
with a visual impairment in the UK and represents his sport as the athlete’s
representative on the IBSA Judo Sub Committee.
