“I don't want to be viewed as special. I don't want to be viewed as different. I don't want to be viewed as you know, someone that is pitied or needs help. I just want to be a completely normal person.
"With my closest friends because of that attitude I've had that kind of open and understanding interactions with them.
'You know I've achieved that and I literally don't want anything else.”
This Summer Dimitri won four medals for Team GB at the Tokyo 2020 Paralympics.
Through this interview, taken before the Games, we got behind the fencing mask and find it’s not just medals but solid relationships and hard won independence that are most precious to Dimitri.
A car accident at the age of two led to Dimitri retaining use of everything above the middle of his spine.
In his interview, he touches on this and compares the accessibility of other cities such as Rio, Tokyo and Hong Kong with London.
He credits his appreciation of relationships to primary school experiences, when his wheelchair seemed an obstacle to friendships.
Gaining confidence at secondary school, he learned a little more about people.
“There are just some people who are just more nourishing to be around.
"From that it taught me about how I wanted to be and what I wanted to be like, and I strive to make myself a better person from that - being more understanding; being more open minded; being more patient...
"And I found that by doing this I was able to choose people who I aspire to be like and learn from them a lot and honestly forged some of the best friendships I've ever had.”
Check out some highlights from Dimitri's interview below...