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9 world class Disabled Australian athletes

1. Sydney-sider, John Maclean, in 1988 was a promising rugby league player who was hit by a 12 tonne truck and became a paraplegic.  John is now one of the toughest athletes in the world.  In 1995 John become the first wheelchair athlete to finish the Hawaiian IronMan Triathlon - 3.8km ocean swim, gruelling 180km bicycle leg and 42km marathon in 12 hrs, 21 mins.  John is also the first wheelchair athlete to swim the English Channel, complete the gruelling Molokai Ocean challenge and has also raced in the Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race.

2. The fastest downhill skier in the world has only one leg.  He in Australian, Michael Milton, whose website provides details of Michael's amazing performances.  Last Oct, Michael completed the 210km Around the Bay in a Day bicycle event around Port Philip Bay on one leg. 

3. Janine Shepherd, "Member of the Order of Australia" of Avalon NSW is an archetypal of the benefit of rigorous competitive exercise in a collegiate team environment. Janine has exhibited enormous tenacity recovering from horrific accident when hit by a truck whilst on a cycling training ride.  Janine turned bad news from doctors into goals - a veritable fire cracker of energy having learnt to fly a plane upside down and represent Australia in the Paralympics in equestrian events.  Janine's website provides further insights of the merit of a background in tough, rigorous exercise in a collegiate environment

4. Louise Sauvage is another Australian Disabled athlete who has achieved global recognition winning 9 Gold and 2 Silver competing in the 1992, 1996 and 2000 Paralympics wheelchair events.  Read Louise's story.  

5. Tony South, 65, became wheelchair reliant at 9 years of age when a bullet lodged in his spine, shot be a skylarking neighbour.  Tony came from the poor part of town, but fortunately during an era when medicos largely gave up on paraplegics, Tony's mum never gave up on him.  Tony has won gold in archery in the disabled Olympics, and evokes extraordinary courage and resilience and possesses an amazing positive attitude.

6. Lindy Hou has been legally blind since 1996 and competed in the Summer Paralympics in 2004 as a Tandem Stoker with her Pilot, Toireasa Gallagher.  Lindy won the Track Sprint and 3000 metre Pursuit in the Open European Cycling Championships Sept. 2003.  Lindy and Toireasa won Silver in the 2006 World Championship Road Race in France over 70km.  The Business Plan Developer has cycled with Lindy Hou on about 5 occasions averaging 100km rides. 

7. Anne Skinner just keeps beating the odds. In 1997 the hand of fate dealt Anne Skinner a cruel blow. In one devastating moment Anne was transformed from a senior equestrian coach of riders with disabilities to a shattered equestrienne with multiple disabilities. She lived when emergency medical personal gave her no hope.  Anne pulled through ground breaking surgery, performed for the first time in Australia. She walked despite terrible injuries, which made her a paraplegic. And after pulling herself back on here feet, she took one step further and climbed back in the saddle.  Not happy to be just horse riding again, Anne set her sights on a position on the Australian Equestrian Team for the 2000 Paralympic Games  Anne became a member of the 2000 Paralympic Games In Sydney and competed for Australia again in the 2004 Games in Athens, notwithstanding enduring sever Chronic Pain.  ABC1's Australian Story of Monday 21 April 2008 titled "Woman Of Steel"  featured Ann Skinner's extraordinary determination to return to competitive horse riding to represent Australia in the Paralympics, despite requiring strong pain medications.

8. James Pittar, aged 40, is a blind marathon swimmer from Sydney who was a member of the Australian disabled Rowing Team in 1995 at the World Rowing Championships in Finland.  James' Resume of Swims, includes -
   *         6 @ 22km Perth to Rottnest Island crossings;
   *         60km down the Parana River in Argentina, albeit with a 8km tail current;
   *         35km England to France crossing of the English Channel;
   *         25km down the Vaal River, South Africa; and
   *         16 nautical miles crossing the Cook Strait,South Island to North Island, New Zealand. 
   James has been an Australia Day Ambassador since 1999.  James was named Ku-ring-gai Citizen of the Year in 2000 and has been a Rainbow Club Ambassador since 2001.  The Rainbow Club has, since 1969, provided swimming and recreational programmes for thousands of Disabled children. 

9. Marita Hird was a promising jockey when in December 1993 Marita's career as a jockey came to an end when she fell from a horse during a race.  Marita broke her neck in 3 places and was told she may never walk again. But her grit and determination are legendary.  Horses became her therapy with the help of riding for the disabled. Marita was encouraged to compete and prove her dressage skills. Again determination combined with skill has seen Marita represented Australia on 9 occasions.  She has competed at 2 World championships and 2 Paralympic games, gaining a bronze medal at the 2000 Sydney Paralympic Games and narrowly missing out on a medal in 2004 at Athens.  Recently she represented Australia at the Pacific Rim Paralympic Games Qualifier in Vancouver where she collected 3 silver medals.