A soldier who was declared dead after being hit by a landmine in Afghanistan is preparing to compete on Friday at his debut Paralympic Games.
Private Derek Derenalagi of the 2nd Battalion the Mercian Regiment will throw the discus in the F57 class for athletes who have amputations and spinal cord injuries.
He lost both his legs in the Afghan blast in 2007 after his patrol drove over a landmine concealed in a 44-gallon oil drum, packed with high explosives, nuts, bolts, nails and razor blades.
Derek remembers the immediate aftermath of the blast and speaking to a medic before blacking out.
Doctors at the scene declared him dead.
His wife Ana explained: "He was taken for dead. When they were trying to clean his body up, and put it into a body bag one of the medics found a pulse, they revived him and brought him back to life."
He was transferred to a hospital in Birmingham where he was in a coma for nine days.
His remarkable rehabilitation is put down to intense training - he spends seven hours a day preparing for competitions.
Already the 2012 European Champion, he can throw a distance of more than 41 metres.
His mentor, Martin Colclough from Help the Heroes said: "This is the most important thing in his life.
"He's throwing for himself of course, he's throwing for his family.
"He's very proud to be part of ParalympicsGB at the Games as it's taken us an awful long time where he's competing with the best in the world."
His wife and family have front row seats to the stadium tonight - and will be cheering him on.
Ana added: "I think I'm going to more nervous than he is.
"I've waited four long years since the day he said he wanted to represent Great Britain."
