Dad from Edinburgh aiming to be first snow sports athlete with MND to compete at Winter Paralympics

A dad from Edinburgh is aiming to become the first snow sports athlete with motor neurone disease (MND) to compete at the Winter Paralympics.

Davy Zyw, who was diagnosed with MND aged 30, is already the first person with the illness to compete in international para snowboarding – winning two silver medals at the FIS Para Snowboard event in Dubai in 2024.

Now the 37-year-old is aiming for the Winter Paralympic Games in Milan in 2026 despite thinking he was “going to be dead within two years of being diagnosed”.

He has already cleared a major hurdle by getting the green light to compete from medics – provided he qualifies through a tightly contested Parasport World Cup series.

“To qualify for the Winter Paralympics would be phenomenal – it feels a long way off despite the hurdles I’ve already cleared”, he said.

“I thought I was going to be dead within two years when I was diagnosed in 2018, and here I am gearing up for a winter of snowboard racing. I feel incredibly lucky.

“I am dreaming big and taking the opportunities in front of me, and hopefully I’m good enough to qualify. Above all I’m going to enjoy the journey and hope to raise awareness along the way. Perhaps, unusually for a para athlete, I’m thrilled that I’m eligible.

“At one point, I wasn’t even sure I’d be able to compete as there wasn’t a category for MND, or neurological conditions. When they told me I’d at least be able to try, it was an incredible feeling.”

Davy, a former competitive snowboarder before a serious knee injury, has already raised over £1m for MND causes, including the My Name’5 Doddie Foundation, by cycling 264 miles across the notorious “High Five” route in the Scottish highlands in 2022, and riding from Edinburgh to Rome earlier this year.

Doddie Weir, who died in 2022, pictured with Davy. Story Shop via Supplied

Davy’s MND predominantly impacts his hands and arms at present, but will eventually move to other parts of his body.

Despite his previous fundraising, he believes qualifying for the Winter Paralympics could be his toughest challenge yet. He is determined to give his all to raise further awareness of MND and help the cause and community.

He added: “The nature of MND means I’m only going to get weaker and more adversely affected as the disease progresses. I have full range of movement in some areas, some muscles are totally gone, and others are in the grey zone.

“It puts me in a position where I know that even if I get there, I’ll be performing at a lower level versus some other athletes, and yet I’m more able bodied than others – but that doesn’t deter me. Everyone competing in parasport has had huge challenges to overcome by just being on their snowboards, it is a truly inspiring group of athletes to compete with.”

Davy must now earn enough points over the coming season to reach the FIS Para Snowboard World Cup series. From there, he needs a top 15 to qualify for Milan.

If successful in qualifying, he would become the first Paralympian with MND ever to compete in snowsports – and the first Paralympic athlete with the disease from the UK in any sport.

He would follow in the footsteps of rower Nick Scandone, who competed in the Paralympics in 2008 with MND, and curler Cathy Cummins, who was diagnosed in 2005 and was an alternate on the US team in Sochi 2014.

However, nobody has competed in the Winter Olympics with MND.

Davy, who will be cheered on by his wife Yvette and three-year-old son, Aleksander, said: “It’d be unbelievable to make it – I get goosebumps thinking about it.

“At this stage, it’s almost impossible to imagine myself there. The standard of competition is incredibly high, many of my fellow para athletes are full time snowboarders so I’m taking nothing for granted, but to be able to compete at this level is really encouraging.

“I need to get faster and tighten my technique for the next races, but feel I’m making progress every time I step in.”

Davy will be cheered on by his wife Yvette and three-year-old son Aleksander. Story Shop via Supplied

The next steps are six competitions across Europe, with rounds in Finland, Austria, and Germany. Another challenge will be funding the bid, as until Davy qualifies for the World Cup series, it is entirely self funded.

So far his efforts are supported by his twin brother Tommy, but it will cost at least £15,000 to attend the races he needs.

He has set up a JustGiving page to help him get to the events required to qualify.

He added: “Tommy has been an incredible support, as he always has been, and we’re looking for potential sponsors to help achieve this goal. I’ll give it my all to make it to Milan.

“It’s ironic that having MND may now offer a route to fulfil my childhood dream, to compete at snowboarding on the world stage. It’s hard not to get emotional about that.

“I can’t believe this cruel disease has taken me back to my roots and love of the mountain. But this is a chance to put MND in the global spotlight at one of the biggest sporting events in the world. I have to do it for everybody living with MND.”

Paul Thompson, director of fundraising at My Name’5 Doddie Foundation, said: “Davy has defied all the odds to achieve what he has in support of the Foundation and the wider MND community. It would not surprise me one bit if he was to go the whole way to the Winter Paralympics – nobody has greater determination.

“He has already made history in competing in global parasports with MND, and the whole MND community and beyond will be behind him as he seeks to make more in qualifying for Milan 2026. Best of luck Davy, you can do it!”

You can support Davy by donating on his Just Giving page here.