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Biography
Impairment information
Type of Impairment
Vision impairment
Classification
S11, SB11, SM11
Further personal information
Family
Wife Heidi
Residence
Perth, WA, AUS
Occupation
Massage Therapist
Languages
English
Higher education
Massage Therapy - Central Institute of Technology: Perth, WA, AUS
Sport specific information
When and where did you begin this sport?
He began competing in 2003.
Why this sport?
He played water polo before he lost his vision, and wanted a different sport to play. "I didn't enjoy swimming as a kid, but once I lost my sight and water polo became too dangerous, I decided to swim."
Club / Team
South Shore Swimming Club: Australia
Name of coach
Chris Twomey [club], AUS; Leigh Nugent [national], AUS
International debut
Year
2004
Competing for
Australia
General interest
Hobbies
Watching movies. (Facebook page, 24 Aug 2016)
Memorable sporting achievement
Being selected to compete at the 2004 Paralympic Games, after only being active in competitive swimming for 10 months. (paralympic.org.au, 2016)
Most influential person in career
His parents, and his wife. (paralympic.org.au, 2016)
Hero / Idol
His sisters. (paralympic.org.au, 29 Jun 2012)
Awards and honours
In 2018 he was inducted into the Rottnest Channel Swim Association [RCSA] Hall of Fame for completing the Rottnest channel swim, a 19.7km open water swim off the coast of Perth, WA, Australia. (rottnestchannelswimassociation.com.au, 08 Dec 2018)
He received the 2011 Paul Goodman Memorial Award for Courage. (Facebook page, 22 Jul 2014)
He received the 2010 Pride of Australia Courage Award. (Facebook page, 22 Jul 2014)
He participated in the Queen's Baton Relay in the lead-up to the 2006 Commonwealth Games in Melbourne, VIC, Australia. (paralympic.org.au, 2016)
He received the 2011 Paul Goodman Memorial Award for Courage. (Facebook page, 22 Jul 2014)
He received the 2010 Pride of Australia Courage Award. (Facebook page, 22 Jul 2014)
He participated in the Queen's Baton Relay in the lead-up to the 2006 Commonwealth Games in Melbourne, VIC, Australia. (paralympic.org.au, 2016)
Other sports
He has competed in para-triathlon at international level. He finished eighth at the 2013 World Championships in London, England. (triathlon.org, 2016)
Ambitions
To compete at the 2020 Paralympic Games in Tokyo. (communitynews.com.au, 17 Sep 2018)
Impairment
He began to lose his sight at age 15 as a result of Leber's hereditary optic neuropathy. (Facebook page, 24 Aug 2016)
Other information
OCCUPATION
He works as a remedial massage therapist at a sports massage and physiotherapist business in Australia. "I was quite interested in health and the body so I went to study personal training, which led to an interest in remedial massage." (trinity.wa.edu.au, 28 Mar 2019; Subi Sports Massage and Physio Facebook page, 20 Feb 2019; communitynews.com.au, 09 Aug 2016)
CHANGE OF CLASSIFICATION
In 2015 his impairment classification was changed from S12 to S11 due to worsening vision. "Dropping down to S11 means I have to race with blacked out goggles because I'm also competing against guys that are totally blind. That does slow me down a bit but if I can get back to my best ever time that would be a world record." (communitynews.com.au, 09 Aug 2016)
BREAK
He took a break from swimming after competing at the 2008 Paralympic Games in Beijing. He returned to the pool in 2011 after realising that he missed the sport. (inmycommunity.com.au, 24 Jul 2012)
He works as a remedial massage therapist at a sports massage and physiotherapist business in Australia. "I was quite interested in health and the body so I went to study personal training, which led to an interest in remedial massage." (trinity.wa.edu.au, 28 Mar 2019; Subi Sports Massage and Physio Facebook page, 20 Feb 2019; communitynews.com.au, 09 Aug 2016)
CHANGE OF CLASSIFICATION
In 2015 his impairment classification was changed from S12 to S11 due to worsening vision. "Dropping down to S11 means I have to race with blacked out goggles because I'm also competing against guys that are totally blind. That does slow me down a bit but if I can get back to my best ever time that would be a world record." (communitynews.com.au, 09 Aug 2016)
BREAK
He took a break from swimming after competing at the 2008 Paralympic Games in Beijing. He returned to the pool in 2011 after realising that he missed the sport. (inmycommunity.com.au, 24 Jul 2012)
Results
| Unit | Date | Rank |
|---|
| Event | Medal | Unit | Date | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Men's 400 m Freestyle S12 | Heat 1 | 6 | ||
| Men's 100 m Breaststroke SB12 | Heat 3 | 6 | ||
| Men's 100 m Backstroke S12 | Final Round | 6 | ||
| Men's 100 m Backstroke S12 | Heat 1 | 2 |
| Event | Medal | Unit | Date | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Men's 100 m Backstroke S12 | Final Round | 7 | ||
| Men's 100 m Backstroke S12 | Heat 2 | 4 | ||
| Men's 100 m Breaststroke SB12 | Heat 2 | 5 | ||
| Men's 50 m Freestyle S12 | Heat 1 | 7 |
| Event | Medal | Unit | Date | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Men's 100 m Backstroke S12 | Heats | 5 | ||
| Men's 100 m Backstroke S12 | Final Round | 5 | ||
| Men's 100 m Breaststroke SB12 | Heats | 6 | ||
| Men's 100 m Breaststroke SB12 | Final Round | 6 | ||
| Men's 50 m Freestyle S12 | Heats | 11 |
| Event | Medal | Unit | Date | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Men's 100 m Backstroke S12 | Heat 1 | 2012-09-05 | 4 | |
| Men's 100 m Backstroke S12 | Final Round | 2012-09-05 | 8 | |
| Men's 50 m Freestyle S12 | Heat 3 | 2012-09-07 | 6 | |
| Men's 100 m Breaststroke SB12 | Heat 1 | 2012-09-08 | 7 |
| Event | Medal | Unit | Date | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Men's 100 m Backstroke S11 | Heat 2 | 2016-09-09 | 1 | |
| Men's 100 m Backstroke S11 | Final Round | 2016-09-09 | 5 | |
| Men's 50 m Freestyle S11 | Heat 1 | 2016-09-12 | 7 | |
| Men's 100 m Freestyle S11 | Heat 1 | 2016-09-15 | 6 |