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| Human Interest | |
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General Interest | |
| Milestones | He is the first male Australian Para athlete to have won a medal at both the summer and winter Paralympic Games. He claimed bronze in athletics [T46 200m] at the 2012 Paralympic Games in London, and then secured a gold medal and a bronze medal in snowboard [snowboard cross and banked slalom, respectively] at the 2018 Paralympic Winter Games in Pyeongchang. (theguardian.com, 13 Mar 2018) He was the first Para snowboarder to win gold in the snowboard cross - upper limb impaired category at the Paralympic Winter Games, finishing on top of the podium at the 2018 Games in Pyeongchang. His victory also made him the first Australian athlete in 16 years to have won a gold medal in any sport at the Paralympic Winter Games. (SportsDeskOnline, 24 Jan 2019; simonpatmore.com.au, 08 Oct 2018) |
| Other information | ALL-ROUND SPORTSMAN He is the first male Australian Para athlete to have won a medal at both the summer and winter Paralympic Games, claiming bronze in athletics at the 2012 Paralympic Games in London and then securing a gold medal and a bronze medal in snowboard at the 2018 Paralympic Winter Games in Pyeongchang. "I don't think you should stay in one sport whatsoever, not with this amount of opportunity that you have. I think any athlete should give any sport a go. Find out which one's the best for you. If you can keep pushing yourself to change sports or just go as far as you can with your sport, you're going to inspire others. I had the guts to go out and do it, have a go and this is the reward I get for it." (theguardian.com, 13 Mar 2018) |
Further Personal Information | |
| Family | Partner Jessica Crowley |
General Interest | |
| Hero / Idol | Australian Para athlete Heath Francis, US surfer Bethany Hamilton, US boxer Muhammad Ali. (london2012.paralympic.org.au, 13 Aug 2012) |
Sport Specific Information | |
| Name of coach | Lukas Prem [national], AUS |
| Why this sport? | He took up Para snowboarding after he discovered the category for his impairment had been included in the programme for the 2018 Paralympic Winter Games in Pyeongchang. "I have a passion for board sports. When the Australian Paralympic Committee called me up and said, 'Hey, do you want to give snow sports a go?', I was like, 'Yep, sign me up. What do I do?'. The transition [from Para athletics] I found pretty hard on the first year, but just being taught how to snowboard really well. I've picked up a few medals and it's built my confidence." |
| When and where did you begin this sport? | He took up Para athletics in 2009, and switched to Para snowboarding in 2014. |
Impairment Information | |
| Origin of Impairment | Congenital |
General Interest | |
| Impairment | He developed Erb's palsy in his left arm at birth. The condition affects his muscle strength and movement. (paralympic.org.au, 12 Jan 2012) |
| Injuries | An injury to his lower body meant he was unable to compete at the 2019 World Cup event in Big White, BC, Canada. (paralympic.org, 24 Mar 2019) A hamstring injury prevented him from competing in the 100m and 4x100m relay at the 2012 Paralympic Games in London. He returned to competition a month after the Games. (adelaidenow.com.au, 12 Sep 2012) |
International Debut | |
| Year | 2014 |
| Competing for | Australia |
Further Personal Information | |
| Languages | English |
General Interest | |
| Sporting philosophy / motto | "I think I can, I know I can." (Facebook page, 28 Dec 2018) |
Impairment Information | |
| Type of Impairment | Impaired muscle power |
Further Personal Information | |
| Residence | Brisbane, QLD, AUS |
General Interest | |
| Other sports | He competed in athletics at the 2012 Paralympic Games in London, where he won bronze in the T46 200m. (SportsDeskOnline, 24 Jan 2019; couriermail.com.au, 03 Sep 2012) |
International Debut | |
| Tournament | World Cup |
| Location | Landgraaf, NED |
Further Personal Information | |
| Occupation | Athlete, Public Speaker |
General Interest | |
| Nicknames | Simmi (Facebook page, 05 Sep 2016) |
Impairment Information | |
| Classification | SB-UL |
Sport Specific Information | |
| Club / Team | Queensland Academy of Sport: Australia |
General Interest | |
| Awards and honours | He was presented with the 2018 Para Performance of the Year award by the Australian Institute of Sport. The honour was in recognition of the gold medal he won at the 2018 Paralympic Winter Games in Pyeongchang. (sbs.com.au, 14 Dec 2018) He received the 2018 Peter Lacey Award for Sporting Excellence at the 24th Annual Queensland Sport Awards in Brisbane, QLD, Australia. (qasport.qld.gov.au, 29 Nov 2018) He was named the 2018 Paralympic Athlete of the Year by Ski and Snowboard Australia. (snowymagazine.com.au, 02 Jun 2018) He was named the 2017 Open Athlete of the Year at the 37th Queensland Para-sport Awards in Australia. (sportingwheelies.org.au, 23 Feb 2018) |