Paralympics 2024: Australian Korey Boddington wins Gold at the Paris Games

Australia’s latest gold medalist ‘The Flying Burrito’ Korey Boddington fell in love with the velodrome after two near death experiences before he was 18, he shares why he’s ‘just obsessed with it.’

Australia, meet The Flying Burrito Korey Boddington.

All the new Paralympic gold medallist eats is burritos in order to beat the world’s best.

He won the men’s C4-5 1000m time title and he was quite literally flying, setting a new Paralympic record in qualifying.

It’s only part of the story in his rapid rise.

At the national titles last year, it was his first time out of Queensland. Paris is his second international trip after debuting at the World Championships in Rio in March.

“I’ve never dedicated myself to something this much in my life,” he said.

“I’ve always tried to be good at them, and then I get a bit bored and move on to the next activity.

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“But I don’t know what it is about cycling, I’m just obsessed with it. If I dedicated myself this much at school, I probably would have been pretty good at school.

“I used to ride my bike to university, I did a couple of bunch rides but I always was most excited for the sprint at the end and then I went to Brisbane to be an accountant.

Korey Boddington has had a rapid rise in the sport. Picture: Getty Images

“I had the great idea to go to the velodrome where I could sprint 24-7. I just got hooked.”

Before even turning 18, Boddington had two near death experiences.

He was hit by a car after retrieving the tennis ball after being “six and out” in a game of cricket with friends “in grade four or five”.

“This is my favourite part of the story. I got hit by a van with a bullbar but that saved my life apparently because if it was a normal car I would have gone flying over the top,” he said

Boddington had two near death experiences before he was 18. Picture: Getty Images

“Lucky enough, it was at the Alexandra Headland, it was a T-intersection and there was some lifesavers finishing up some training. They ended up saving me.

“One of my mates, Luke, flipped me over, I’m spewing out blood, eyes are rolling in my head.

“An 11-year-old kid rolling over his mate, that’s traumatic. I feel so bad for him.

“I’ve got a little trend, whenever I hurt myself it’s always on my right side. I had bones sticking out, lost a bit of kidney, liver.”

In 2011, Boddington, then 15, was placed in a coma for several weeks after coming off his motorbike during a race at Suncoast Junior Motorcycle Club’s Quanda Park track.

“Of course everyone was saying ‘man we’ve never seen you ride that good’,” he recalled.

“Doing fast lap times around the track. Then first race of the day, spat me off.

“Massive brain injury, coincidence right side again, that’s how I lost the shoulder (no muscle).

“I’ve dislocated my arm and I’ve pinched the nerve, a bit like a spinal injury.

“My arm all froze up, but that’s fine, because they kept me alive.”

What lies ahead for Australia’s new gold medalist? Picture: Getty Images

Despite what he had gone through so early in his life, getting back on the motorbike was something Boddington couldn’t wait for.

He was back just two years later.

“Because you don’t remember the injury but also I’m just so obsessed with two wheels,” he said.

“I wanted nothing more than to get back on the dirt bike.”

Boddington said a large part of his success had come down to routine, and yes even eating burritos all the time.

An accountant during business hours, with his workmates making the trip to Paris, don’t expect our newest champion to change too much.

“When I started cycling, I knew where I wanted to be after nationals and I knew the only way I was going to get there was to be obsessed with it,” he said.

“I made a meal plan and I have the same thing every day. Coincidentally I eat a burrito for breakfast, burrito for lunch and burrito for dinner.

“I’m a bit loose on what’s on the burrito. I’ve had fun playing with spices.

“Straight back onto it (with a burrito for dinner). I’ve already got some new ideas.”

Originally published as Paralympics 2024: Australian Korey Boddington wins Gold at the Paris Games