Jonathan Coggan (born 25 April 1983) is a British

paralympic The Paralympic Games or Paralympics, also known as the ''Games of the Paralympiad'', is a periodic series of international multisport events involving athletes with a range of physical disabilities, including impaired muscle power and impaire ...

wheelchair rugby player. He won a gold medal for the

Great Britain national wheelchair rugby team The Great Britain national wheelchair rugby team represents Great Britain in international wheelchair rugby. Great Britain is the most successful team in European competition, winning six gold medals at the European Championship and a gold at t ...

at the 2020 Summer Paralympics in the mixed event. Coggan was appointed

Member of the Order of the British Empire The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is a British order of chivalry, rewarding contributions to the arts and sciences, work with charitable and welfare organisations, and public service outside the civil service. It was established o ...

(MBE) in the

2022 New Year Honours The 2022 New Year Honours are appointments by some of the 15 Commonwealth realms to various orders and honours to recognise and reward good works by citizens of those countries. The New Year Honours are awarded as part of the New Year celebrations ...

for services to wheelchair rugby.

Early life and education

Coggan was born in South Woodham Ferrers, Essex, and attended the local William de Ferrers School. He continued his education studying Public Services at Southend College for Further Education.

Injury and Recovery

As a 16-year-old In April 2000 on the way to college, Coggan was involved in a car crash that left him with a broken neck. He was hospitalised for nearly twelve months at Stoke Mandeville Hospital, and as part of his rehabilitation was introduced to Wheelchair Rugby.

Wheelchair Rugby Career

Coggan started playing club rugby in 2001, and in 2002 was invited on a World Rugby Tour with the GB development squad. The tour took in San Diego, Sydney, Singapore and Cape Town. In 2003 he participated in the World Wheelchair Games in Christchurch, New Zealand, and then went on to gain his first full international cap playing in the 2004 Paralympics in Athens. Since then, Coggan has been a constant fixture in the GB squad and is a veteran of five Paralympic Games. Considered to be one of the best 0.5s in the game, he has won best in class at the 2006 World Championships and in the 2009 and 2011 European Championships. Now one of the squad’s most senior members, Coggan is a role model to many of his team mates both on and off the court continuing to be an integral part of the squad. 2020 Tokyo Paralympic Games: Gold 2016 Rio Paralympic Games – 5th 2012 London Paralympics – 5th 2008 Beijing Paralympic Games – 4th 2004 Athens Paralympic Games – 4th 2022 World Championships, Denmark - 5th 2018 World Championships, Australia - 4th 2014 World Championships, Denmark – 5th 2010 World Championships, Canada - 5th 2006 World Championships, New Zealand - 4th 2022 European Championships, France - 2nd 2019 European Championships, Denmark – 1st 2017 European Championships, Germany - 1st 2015 European Championships, Finland – 1st 2013 European Championships, Belgium – 3rd 2011 European Championships, Switzerland – 2nd 2009 European Championships, Denmark - 4th 2007 European Championships, Finland – 1st 2005 European Championships, Denmark – 1st

References

1983 births Living people Sportspeople from Hertfordshire Paralympic wheelchair rugby players for Great Britain Paralympic gold medalists for Great Britain British wheelchair rugby players Wheelchair rugby players at the 2020 Summer Paralympics Medalists at the 2020 Summer Paralympics Paralympic medalists in wheelchair rugby Members of the Order of the British Empire {{Paralympic-medalist-stub