interview by JANA LETONJA

Nick Mayhugh is a record-breaking Team USA sprinter, 3x Paralympic gold medalist, and one of the fastest para-athletes in the world — holding World and American Records in the 100m, 200m, 400m, and 4x100m relay. His path to the track is as remarkable as his times. Diagnosed with Cerebral Palsy at 14 and told he’d never play sports again, Nick went on to become a D1 soccer player, represent the US Para Soccer Team, and then dominate the Paralympic stage. Beyond sport, he’s a rising force in fashion, media, and advocacy, using his platform to reshape the narrative around disability and inspire people everywhere to believe in their own potential.

You were told at 14 that you’d never play sports again. What was going through your mind in that moment, and what fueled your comeback?

I was broken. My entire life was flipped upside down. I saw the life drain out of both my parents after hearing what the doctor said, and I knew I had a decision to make in that moment. Either to let my disability define me and have a victim mentality, and say I couldn’t do what I set out to do because of my disability, or use it as motivation and do whatever it takes to get to where I wanted to be. I’m sure you can guess which route my family and I chose.

How did your time in soccer shape the mindset and skills you bring to the track today?

The professionalism translated, of course, but the biggest difference between the two is that soccer is a team sport, so if you’re not at your best or don't perform well, you can still win by leaning on your teammates. In track, if you’re not at your best and you don’t perform, it's all on you. Thankfully, I enjoy the pressure, the lights, and the big moments. That's where I thrive.

full look ENTIRE STUDIOS
boots SAINT LAURENT

Many people see challenges as barriers. How do you reframe them as opportunities?

No one is perfect and nobody's life is perfect. We all have our own challenges and struggles in life that are out of our control. But what we can control is how we respond to them, our attitude towards them, and our work ethic towards making whatever situation you’re in better. Either way you’d like to look at it, I’ve been fortunate enough to have a lot of opportunities and I pride myself on how I choose to respond to them, and you should too.

You train alongside some of the fastest sprinters in the world, including Noah Lyles. How does that environment push your limits?

I’ve never viewed myself as someone with a disability, and I’ve always trained with those who don’t treat me as such. Since day one of being in a group among World Class Sprinters, they’ve never treated me any different or any less. They expect the same professionalism and effort I expect from them. They may be faster than me, but as professional sprinters, our mentalities are a lot alike. We have to be mentally strong to be successful in this sport and they help me stay grounded and push me to be my best, like I do for them.

shirt MCQUEEN

What’s the mental side of being a record-breaking sprinter that people might not see?

Consistency. You have to do the little things every single day. No excuses. I had the same routine for 19 months towards Tokyo and knew that no one else was going to put in as much time and work as I would to break the WR and win Gold

What does holding 3 Paralympic gold medals mean to you, both personally and professionally

I know it sounds cliché, but it’s a feeling you can’t put into words. I remember crossing the finish line and feeling every emotion possible, all the bad days, the anger and frustration while training and the happiness and joy of realizing what I and my team accomplished. I had proven to myself that “I did it” and that was very special. However, professionally, I’m most proud of the opportunity it has given me to inspire and be a role model to people like me with a disability or anyone who follows me. That feels better than any medal or WR ever could.

You’ve been vocal about reshaping the narrative around disability in sport. What does true representation look like to you?

To live what you preach. I want to change the way people see and treat those with disabilities and I will continue to do so by posting content and shedding light on my experiences with my disability and those who don’t have a voice. I hope to be a trailblazer in a way that by LA 2028, there is the same, if not more support for us Paralympians than the Olympians.

In fashion and media, you’re building a brand that goes beyond athletics. How do you see those worlds intersecting?

As a pro athlete in an individual sport, you are your brand. Your personality is shown not only on the track, but off it by what you wear. It’s fun for me to plan my outfits and show my personality in my clothes. For me, when I get dressed and walk into a venue before a big race and I feel confident in what I’m wearing, I know I am going to run fast that day.

What’s one misconception about para-athletes you wish the world could unlearn?

That people don’t need to treat us differently than able bodied people. When someone sees someone in a wheelchair or an amputee, they immediately think of and speak to them differently. Their attitude, tone of voice and thought of us changes. It’s almost as if they tone down, look down on us and try to be gentle for some reason. At the end of the day, we bleed the same, love the same and even though I have a hole in my brain, it doesn’t mean I am any different than you or anyone else.

What goals are you chasing now, both on and off the track?

To be the best version of myself, as a man, an athlete, a brother, a son, an uncle or a friend. When I was younger, I used to hold so much weight in the idea that once I “won” something, it would then make me happy. And once it didn’t, I then realized there was so much for me to work on outside of that. I’ve matured a lot and hope to one day be remembered for the positive impact I’ve had on this sport and in the community as a whole. I plan on leaving the 2025 World Para Championships with two medals and another two or three in LA 2028. But as long as I continue to try to be better than the man on and off the track I was yesterday, last year or each Olympic cycle, I’ll be joyful in my journey.

When young people hear your story, what’s the one message you hope sticks with them?

That it’s okay to not be okay. It’s ok to not be perfect, nobody is. It’s ok to cry, to be angry and upset and to not know or have the answer for everything. As long as you’re doing something each day to better the situation you are in, then everything else will work itself out exactly the way God intended it to.

jacket MCQUEEN
trousers CELINE
glasses JACQUES MARIE MAGE

TEAM CREDITS:

talent NICK MAYHUGH
photography DYLAN PERLOT at Exclusive Artist
styling JAY HINES at The Only Agency
grooming REMY MOORE at The Only Agency
styling assistants AMIAH JOY and MICHAEL WASHINGTON
editor TIMOTEJ LETONJA
editorial director and interview JANA LETONJA

IN CONVERSATION WITH NICK MAYHUGH

IN CONVERSATION WITH MICHAEL BUBLÉ