British para-cyclist James Ball will compete at his 10th para-cycling track World Championship, held in Apeldoorn, Netherlands. The competition begins on Thursday, with the Omnisport Apeldoorn velodrome hosting events from 29 October to 1 November.
Ball is defending two titles he won in 2025 with Steffan Lloyd. He will be assisted in this defence by new pilot Aaron Pope, who is his sixth pilot in his career. Before Pope, Ball competed with Craig McLean, Matt Rotherham, Pete Mitchell, Lewis Stewart and Steffan Lloyd.
Notably, Ball and Pope were rivals just three months ago at the Commonwealth Games. Pope was then the pilot for Neil Fachie, with whom he won two golds in Glasgow, while Ball and Matt Rotherham won silver in the men's tandem B 1,000m race and the sprint. Fachie retired this summer at the age of 42.
Ball, who is 35 and was born in Ponthir, has a rich medal career. He has won a medal at all nine previous World Championships, with a total of four bronzes, six silvers and eight golds. He first tasted world glory in 2017 in Los Angeles, where he won two golds with Rotherham — in the 1km race and the sprint. Los Angeles will host the Paralympic Games in 2028.
At the Commonwealth Games, Ball has competed three times, winning five silvers and one gold. He also has a Paralympic silver from 2021 and two golds won in Paris 2024. Ball himself highlighted that his biggest goal for next year is in Paris.
