The Mindset Fueling Nick Mayhugh’s Record-Breaking Runs

When you step into the world of para sport, you quickly realize that disability doesn’t come in one shape or size. For some athletes, like Heinz Frei or Matt Stutzman, it’s immediately visible. Others, like Nick Mayhugh, carry something far less obvious—but no less real.

A three-time Paralympic gold medalist, one-time silver medalist, and three-time world record holder, Mayhugh was diagnosed with cerebral palsy at 14 after suffering a grand mal seizure. His condition affects the left side of his body, though you’d never know it, given that he's constantly dominating on the track.

He’s spoken openly about having an invisible disability—not to be defined by it, but to shine a light on what people don’t always see. Still, it’s not the label he wants front and center. Instead, he wants to be known simply as an athlete, just like his world-renowned peers.

"I train alongside Noah Lyles, and to watch him and Dream Richards, Noah Williams, Jalen Slade...these guys are the fastest of the fastest in the world," Mayhugh told Men's Journal. "And growing up, I've never seen myself as a disabled athlete. I've never been treated as such, within my family, my circle, and those people I keep around me."

That's the attitude that's always set Mayhugh apart. Since his diagnosis, he's approached life and sports with the intention to break the barriers set before him. He's surrounded himself with the best in the world, not for comparison, but for elevation. For him, it’s never been about competing within a separate category—it’s about rising to the highest possible standard and being taken seriously on whatever stages he's on. 

"I've always tried to excel in anything I do," he said. "Whether that be in para sport or in life in general, I like to surround myself with people [who] are better than me in every single way, because it pushes me to be better. And ever since I've joined para sport, I've always tried to surround myself with Olympians, not just necessarily Paralympians." 

That belief shows up in every corner of his training. Coaches like Justin Cavanaugh and his current Florida-based team don’t treat him any differently than they would any other athlete who has Olympic medals or World Championship medals. According to him, that's the whole point. 

"As somebody who's trying to get the most out of themselves, both in life and in sport, I think it's important to have those types of people around you," he says.