Derek Derenalagi
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| Personal information | |||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nationality | Fijian/British | ||||||||||||||
| Born | 3 October 1974 Nadi, Fiji | ||||||||||||||
| Sport | |||||||||||||||
| Country |  Great Britain | ||||||||||||||
| Sport | Athletics | ||||||||||||||
Event(s) | F57 Shot put F57 Discus | ||||||||||||||
| Club | Watford | ||||||||||||||
| Coached by | Alison O'Riordan | ||||||||||||||
| Achievements and titles | |||||||||||||||
| Paralympic finals | 2012 | ||||||||||||||
| Personal best(s) | Shot Put: 11.55m Discus: 43.03m | ||||||||||||||
Medal record
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Derek Derenalagi (born 3 October 1974) is a British Paralympic discus thrower and former soldier.
From Nakavu Village in Nadi, Fiji, Derenalagi was born to a single mother and was raised by his grandmother.[1][2]
Military service
Derek Derenalagi | |
|---|---|
| Allegiance | United Kingdom |
| Branch |  British Army |
| Service years | 1999–2007 |
| Rank | Private |
Derenalagi joined the British Army in 1999.[3] As Fiji was part of the British Empire from ~1870-1970, there is a well-established tradition of Fijians joining the British armed forces. For example, thousands of Fijians served as part of New Zealand and Australian units during WW2.[4] In July 2007 he was on a tour of duty in Helmand Province, Afghanistan, when his vehicle was hit by an improvised explosive device (IED) as it travelled to a helicopter landing site.[3][5][6] On return to Camp Bastion he was pronounced dead, but whilst preparing his body for a body bag, medical staff found that he still had a pulse.[1][6][7] As a result of the injuries he sustained, both of Derenalagi's legs were amputated above the knee.[3][7] In a coma, he was flown back to the UK where, nine days later, he woke up in Selly Oak Hospital, Birmingham.[5]