For world bronze medallist Zak Skinner, legacy is something he has embraced with open arms. As the son of Mick "The Munch" Skinner, a man whose name is synonymous with English rugby in the late 80s and early 90s, Zak's journey into the world of elite athletics has been shaped by both the inspiration of his father's career and his own relentless pursuit of greatness. Now competing in the 2024 Paralympic Games in Paris, he is not only continuing the sporting name of his father, but competing as a trailblazer in his own right.
Today, 25-year-old Zak, who is Sidcup-born but based in Loughborough, sports an equally eye-catching mullet to the one worn by his father over 30 years ago. The comparisons don't end there, though.
On the Shoulders of a Legend
A Grand Slam winner in 1992, and hailing from Newcastle-upon-Tyne, "The Munch" summed up the hardness of the English pack in which he played. He was a force of nature. Arguably his most famous moment came during the 1991 Rugby World Cup quarter-final against France, where his bone-crunching tackle on Marc Cecillon turned the tide of the match in England's favour. It was a moment that has since become part of rugby lore and, for Skinner, it symbolised the grit and determination he brought to every game. While the exploits of Skinner and his cohorts (Carling, the Underwoods, Guscott et al) may have been overshadowed by the golden generation that was to come, that single tackle immortalised him in fans' memories.
Zak’s Own Path
Born with a visual impairment that affects his depth perception, Zak Skinner's journey into athletics was not an obvious one. Yet, like his father, he found within himself a relentless drive to succeed. Explaining the extent of his vision to the BBC in 2019, he said: "My sight is 75/6. That means I need to be six metres away from an object to see what a person with perfect vision can see at 75 metres."
He burst onto the scene as a teenager, quickly establishing himself as a force to be reckoned with in para-athletics. By the time the Tokyo 2020 Paralympics (held in 2021) came around, Zak was a serious medal contender in the T13 classification for visually impaired athletes. However, the Tokyo Games brought heartbreak rather than glory. In the men’s long jump, Zak finished fourth, missing out on a medal by the narrowest of margins.
He spoke in the aftermath of that result about how he could rely on his father to pick him up: "He knows what this feels like more than anyone else, he lost a World Cup final and I've just lost a Paralympic medal."
It was a result that stung deeply, but it also ignited a fire within him. Determined to not just come back stronger, but to dominate, Zak has spent the years since Tokyo honing his craft, setting personal bests, and preparing to make his mark on the world stage once again in Paris.
The Build-Up to Paris
The years leading up to the 2024 Paralympics have been nothing short of transformative for Zak. In 2023, he broke through with a series of record-setting performances, becoming the fastest athlete in his classification. His achievements in the long jump and sprints have made him a stand-out prospect for Team GB. The men's long jump event, scheduled for September 7th, will be Zak's moment of truth - he placed sixth in the T13 100m final with 10:93, an improvement on Tokyo - and a chance to turn the pain of Japan into the triumph of Paris.
So while the Skinner name may currently be synonymous with rugby history, it could soon be equally recognised in the world of para-athletics. Whether he stands on the podium with a medal around his neck or not, Zak has taken the legacy of "The Munch" and transformed it into something uniquely his own.
See the full Paralympic schedule here.
