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Mitchell Gourley began skiing at the age of eight, making his international debut when he was 15 years old. But he had to wait another 10 years until he could enjoy his first major achievement, when he sealed gold in the men’s super-combined standing at the Tarvisio 2017 World Championships.
With that title in the bag, the 2017-18 season presented him with a very good chance of medalling at the PyeongChang 2018 Paralympic Winter Games. But his best result was fifth in the super-combined.
On the World Cup circuit, Gourley finished in second place in the overall men’s standing World Cup in 2017-18, repeating his performance from the previous season.
He has also showed his credentials as a Proud Paralympian, being elected as Athlete Representative on the World Para Alpine Skiing Sport Technical Committee.
Born without a left forearm, Gourley lives in Montreal, Canada but is a proud skier for the Australian team.
He enjoys track cycling, trail running, cooking and climbing and has shown himself to be superstitious; confessing he always puts his left ski boot on first.
Biography
Impairment information
Type of Impairment
Limb deficiency
Origin of Impairment
Congenital
Classification
LW6/8-2
Further personal information
Family
Partner Imogen Brough
Residence
Geelong, VIC, AUS
Occupation
Consultant
Languages
English, French
Higher education
Commerce, Economics, Marketing - University of Melbourne: Australia
Sport specific information
When and where did you begin this sport?
He began skiing at age eight in Mount Buller, VIC, Australia.
International debut
Year
2006
Competing for
Australia
Location
Breckenridge, CO, USA
General interest
Nicknames
Mitcho, Spinach, Mitch (Facebook profile, 09 Oct 2018; Athlete, 17 Jun 2016; vis.org.au, 31 Jan 2017)
Memorable sporting achievement
Winning gold in super combined at the 2017 World Championships in Tarvisio, Italy. (geelongadvertiser.com.au, 31 Jan 2017)
Most influential person in career
Australian alpine skier Jono Brauer, Australian Para alpine skiers Toby Kane, Marty Mayberry and Cameron Rahles-Rahbula. (Athlete, 17 Jun 2016)
Hero / Idol
US alpine skier Bode Miller, Australian cyclists Michael Milton and Cadel Evans. (vis.org.au, 31 Jan 2017)
Injuries
He broke his right wrist in a crash at the 2019 World Championships in Kranjska Gora, Slovenia. He did not race again that season and decided to miss the 2019/20 season as well. (geelongindy.com.au, 17 Jan 2020)
He suffered a wrist injury in the lead-up to the 2017 World Championships in Tarvisio, Italy. He went on to win gold in super combined at the event. (geelongadvertiser.com.au, 31 Jan 2017; skiandsnowboard.org.au, 23 Jan 2017)
He suffered a wrist injury in the lead-up to the 2017 World Championships in Tarvisio, Italy. He went on to win gold in super combined at the event. (geelongadvertiser.com.au, 31 Jan 2017; skiandsnowboard.org.au, 23 Jan 2017)
Superstitions / Rituals / Beliefs
He puts on his left ski boot first. (Athlete, 17 Jun 2016)
Awards and honours
He received the Male Sportsperson of the Year Award at the 2017 Victorian Disability Sport and Recreation Awards in Australia. (alignedleisure.com.au, 22 Aug 2017)
He was named Para Snowsport Athlete of the Year for 2016 and 2017 by Ski and Snowboard Australia. (skiandsnowboard.org.au, 28 Apr 2017)
He was named Para Snowsport Athlete of the Year for 2016 and 2017 by Ski and Snowboard Australia. (skiandsnowboard.org.au, 28 Apr 2017)
Impairment
He was born without his left forearm and hand. (abc.net.au, 24 Jun 2017)
Other information
TIME OUT
After breaking his wrist in January 2019 he took time out of the sport and decided to not compete for the 2019/20 season. "I've been doing winter seasons for 15 years straight. This is my first Australian summer since 2005. To take a winter off is scary, but it's exciting at the same time." (geelongindy.com.au, 17 Jan 2020)
OTHER ACTIVITIES
In 2015 he began serving as an athlete representative on the International Paralympic Committee [IPC] alpine skiing sport technical committee and in January 2017 he was re-elected for a further two years. "It's exciting. I'm really proud and honoured to have the chance to do it again. It's something which is really hard work but really rewarding." He has also served as the chairman of the World Para Alpine Skiing athlete advisory group. In June 2020 he was elected to the Paralympics Australia Athlete Commission. "One of the main ways I want to work with the commission is to help with how we can improve the pathway for developing athletes in winter sport here in Australia, as well as supporting their ongoing development as people, more than anything." (insidethegames.biz, 26 Jun 2020; 29 Jan 2017; paralympic.org, 27 Jan 2017)
OCCUPATION
He works as an external consultant in community engagement at the Australian Institute of Sport. (LinkedIn profile, 01 Oct 2020)
FURTHER EDUCATION
He has obtained a master's degree in business administration at Deakin University in Geelong, VIC, Australia. (geelongindy.com.au, 17 Jan 2020; Athlete, 17 Jun 2016)
After breaking his wrist in January 2019 he took time out of the sport and decided to not compete for the 2019/20 season. "I've been doing winter seasons for 15 years straight. This is my first Australian summer since 2005. To take a winter off is scary, but it's exciting at the same time." (geelongindy.com.au, 17 Jan 2020)
OTHER ACTIVITIES
In 2015 he began serving as an athlete representative on the International Paralympic Committee [IPC] alpine skiing sport technical committee and in January 2017 he was re-elected for a further two years. "It's exciting. I'm really proud and honoured to have the chance to do it again. It's something which is really hard work but really rewarding." He has also served as the chairman of the World Para Alpine Skiing athlete advisory group. In June 2020 he was elected to the Paralympics Australia Athlete Commission. "One of the main ways I want to work with the commission is to help with how we can improve the pathway for developing athletes in winter sport here in Australia, as well as supporting their ongoing development as people, more than anything." (insidethegames.biz, 26 Jun 2020; 29 Jan 2017; paralympic.org, 27 Jan 2017)
OCCUPATION
He works as an external consultant in community engagement at the Australian Institute of Sport. (LinkedIn profile, 01 Oct 2020)
FURTHER EDUCATION
He has obtained a master's degree in business administration at Deakin University in Geelong, VIC, Australia. (geelongindy.com.au, 17 Jan 2020; Athlete, 17 Jun 2016)
Results
| Unit | Date | Rank |
|---|
| Event | Medal | Unit | Date | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Men's Slalom Standing | Final Round | 27 | ||
| Men's Giant Slalom Standing | Final Round | 12 | ||
| Men's Super-G Standing | Final Round | 10 |
| Event | Medal | Unit | Date | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Men's Slalom Standing | Final | 2009-02-20 | 19 | |
| Men's Giant Slalom Standing | Final | 2009-02-21 | 24 | |
| Men's Super-G Standing | Final | 2009-02-23 | 28 | |
| Men's Super-Combined Standing | Final | 2009-02-23 | 25 | |
| Men's Super-G Standing | Run 2 | 2009-02-24 | 26 | |
| Men's Downhill Standing | Final | 2009-02-28 | 30 |
| Event | Medal | Unit | Date | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Men's Downhill Standing | Final | 2011-01-16 | 6 | |
| Men's Super-G Standing | Final | 2011-01-18 | 7 | |
| Men's Super-Combined Standing | Final | 2011-01-19 | 7 | |
| Men's Slalom Standing | Final | 2011-01-20 | 7 | |
| Men's Giant Slalom Standing | Final | 2011-01-21 | 5 |
| Event | Medal | Unit | Date | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Men's Downhill Standing | Race 1 | 2013-02-20 | 13 | |
| Men's Super-G Standing | Race 1 | 2013-02-21 | 11 | |
| Men's Slalom Standing | Race 1 | 2013-02-24 | 8 | |
| Men's Super-Combined Standing | Race 1 | 2013-02-25 | 5 | |
| Men's Giant Slalom Standing | Race 1 | 2013-02-26 | 9999 |
| Event | Medal | Unit | Date | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Men's Downhill Standing | Final Round | 2014-03-08 | 7 | |
| Men's Super-G Standing | Final Round | 2014-03-09 | 9999 | |
| Men's Slalom Standing | Final Round | 2014-03-13 | 9999 | |
| Men's Super Combined Standing | Final Round | 2014-03-14 | 5 | |
| Men's Giant Slalom Standing | Final Round | 2014-03-15 | 9999 |
| Event | Medal | Unit | Date | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Men's Downhill Standing | Race 1 | 2015-03-04 | 9999 | |
| Men's Super-G Standing | Race 1 | 2015-03-05 | 5 | |
| Men's Super-Combined Standing | Race 1 | 2015-03-07 | 9999 | |
| Men's Giant Slalom Standing | Race 1 | 2015-03-08 | 4 | |
| Men's Slalom Standing | Race 1 | 2015-03-10 | 9999 |
| Event | Medal | Unit | Date | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Men's Downhill Standing | Race 1 | 2017-01-25 | 4 | |
| Men's Super-G Standing | Race 1 | 2017-01-26 | 8 | |
| Men's Super-Combined Standing | Race 1 | 2017-01-28 | 1 | |
| Men's Giant Slalom Standing | Race 1 | 2017-01-30 | 5 | |
| Men's Slalom Standing | Race 1 | 2017-01-31 | 5 |
| Event | Medal | Unit | Date | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Men's Downhill Standing | Final | 2018-03-10 | 9999 | |
| Men's Super-G Standing | Final | 2018-03-11 | 12 | |
| Men's Super Combined Standing | Final | 2018-03-13 | 5 | |
| Men's Giant Slalom Standing | Final | 2018-03-14 | 8 | |
| Men's Slalom Standing | Final | 2018-03-17 | 6 |
| Event | Medal | Unit | Date | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Men's Giant Slalom Standing | Race 1 | 2019-01-21 | 4 | |
| Men's Slalom Standing | Race 1 | 2019-01-23 | 3 | |
| Men's Downhill Standing | Race 1 | 2019-01-30 | 9999 | |
| Men's Super-G Standing | Race 1 (from SC) | 2019-01-31 | 9999 | |
| Men's Super-Combined Standing | Race 1 | 2019-01-31 | 9999 |