Tokyo Paralympics: Wheelchair racer Rheed McCracken’s passion for tattoos

Paralympic wheelchair gun Rheed McCracken was too young to get a tattoo straight after his first Paralympics to commemorate the feat. Now he’s hard pressed finding room for new ones.

Wheelchair sprint star Rheed McCracken doesn’t know yet what tattoo he will get to mark his third appearance at a Paralympics. He just knows he will get one - or two or three or four.

The 24-year-old, who won silver in the 100m and will also race the 400m at the Games, has such a passion for body art he’s running out of space for new ones.

“After my first Paralympics in London I wasn’t actually old enough to get one so I had to wait a while,’’ McCracken said.

“I got my racing number from London and the Rio Games and also a Christ the Redeemer tattoo.

“I have tattoos involving my family and a superman in remembrance of a mate Tyson.

Rheed McCracken has a passion for tattoos. Pic: Supplied.

Some of his Paralympic tatoos. Pic: Supplied.

“I also have Tom the mascot from Rio and Big Ben from London. I do have some space left but it is about squeezing things in now.

“I’m not sure what I will do this time. I always wait till after the games.”

One of the Newcastle’s most recent tattoos is the pawprint of his German Shepherd.

“I have grown up around tattoos, mum and dad have tattoos and my uncle is a tattooist, so it was something I always wanted to do,’’ he said. “Finding some space is the hardest part.’’

McCracken, who won silver in the 100m in Rio in 2016, has been working with a sport psychologist in the lead up to Tokyo in a bid to find a winning edge.

“I’ve gone into games and world titles putting too much expectation on myself. Overthinking it a bit,’’ he said.

Rheed McCracken before the 100m T34 race at the world championships.

The wheelchair racer from Charlestown will race his first event on August 30.

His last international race was at the World para athletic championships in 2019 when he won silver in the 100m.

“I haven’t raced domestically since early this year so it has been a while,” said McCracken who was born with cerebral palsy and has been in a wheelchair for more than a decade.

The man to beat in the T34 class is Tunisias Walid Ktila who has won every final at the Paralympic Games or world championships since London in 2012.

Originally published as Tokyo Paralympics: Wheelchair racer Rheed McCracken’s passion for tattoos