13 May 2103 - KURT FEARNLEY - Aussie Paralympic Inspiration

KURT FEARNLEY

- Aussie Paralympic Inspiration -

G'day guys,

I guess you know that Australia has a greating sporting record in almost every major sport, amazing when you consider that we have a mere 22.5 million citizens. Well, today I feature a great inspiration - Kurt Fearnley. Who is he?

About Kurt

 

Raised in the small country town of Carcoar, Kurt Fearnley has always been determined. Being born without the lower portion of his spine has never held him back, from backyard games of football to crawling along the Great Wall of China, he always has a go.

Turning his attention to wheelchair sports in his teens, Kurt became a world beater. He started his career with two Silver medals at the 2000 Sydney Paralympic games, before making his winning breakthrough at the Athens Paralympics with Gold in the 5000m and marathon races. Following the 2004 games, Kurt conquered the world, winning five world championships and more than 20 marathons around the globe, including 10 marathons in 2007 and three straight New York marathon titles. He solidified his standing as the Marathon Man of wheelchair sports by defending his Gold medal at the Beijing Paralympics and continues to dominate over a range of distances on both the track and road.

Kurt represents a number of organisations and is an ambassador of the Day of Difference Foundation and International Day of People with a Disability, and a board member of Australian Volunteers International. As a qualified Physical Education teacher, he travels throughout NSW teaching high-school children in small and large communities. Kurt’s exploits both in and out of sport recently saw him recognised as the 2009 New South Wales Young Australian of the Year.

Quick facts:

• Born: 23 March 1981, Cowra NSW Australia
• Paralympic Classification: T54
• Australian Records: 400m, 800m, 5000m, 10,000m, Half Marathon and Marathon
• Paralympic Records: 5000m and Marathon

Results

Paralympic Games - 2008 Beijing

• Marathon – Gold
• 800m – Silver
• 5000m – Silver
• 1500m – Bronze

Paralympic Games - 2004 Athens

• Marathon – Gold
• 5000m – Gold
• 4x100m Relay – Silver
• 800m " 1500m – 4th

Paralympic Games - 2000 Sydney

• 800m – Silver
• 4x100m – Silver
• 1500m – 4th

Olympic Games - 2004 Athens

• 1500m Demonstration Race – 5th

Olympic Games - 2000 Sydney

• 1500m Demonstration Race – 4th

World Championships - 20011 IPC World Championships, Christchurch, New Zealand

• Marathon – Gold

World Championships - 2007 IAAF World Championships, Osaka, Japan

• 1500m Demonstration Race – Gold

World Championships - 2006 IPC World Championships, Assen, Netherlands

• Marathon – Gold
• 800m – Gold
• 5000m – Gold
• 1500m – Bronze

Marathons

Victories

Paralympics (2004, 2008), World Championships (2006, 2011), New York USA (2006 – 2009), London UK (2009), Chicago USA (2007-2009), Los Angeles USA (2005, 2007), Seoul ROK (2006, 2007, 2009), Rome ITA (2007), Paris FRA (2007, 2009), Sydney AUS (2000, 2002, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2010, 2011), Canberra AUS (2004), Treviso ITA (2007), George RSA (2007), Port Elizabeth RSA (2007)

Podiums

Boston (2nd - 2011), Oesingen (3rd - 2011), London (2nd – 2007, 2008), Seoul (2nd – 2008), New York (3rd – 2005, 2010), Los Angeles (3rd – 2005), Oita (2nd – 2006)

Road Race Wins

• City 2 Surf, Sydney (2011)
• Oz Day 10km, Sydney (2005-2010)
• Peachtree 10km, Atlanta (2007, 2008)
• Cedartown 5km, USA (2008)
• Long Island 10km, New York (2004, 2006-2008)
• Toronto Rolling Rampage 10km (2006, 2007)
• Great North Run Half-Marathon, Newcastle UK (2006)
• Tunnel 2km, Tyne, UK (2006)

Events / Personal Bests

• 400 metres: 47.92 - Atlanta (USA), 30/06/07
• 800 metres: 1.32.73 - Athens (GRE), 2004
• 1500 metres: 2.58.24 - Atlanta (USA), 07/2006
• 5000 metres: 9.54.99 - Atlanta (USA), 30/06/07
• 10,000 metres: 21.24.36 - Ibach (SUI), 7/06/07
• Half Marathon: 42.37 – Great North Run (UK), 2007
• Marathon: 1:18.51 - Boston (USA), 18/04/11
• Marathon: 1:22.01 - Seoul (KOR), 08/05/11

Not only but also, Kurt Fearnley conquered the treacherous 96-kilometre Kokoda Trail in Papua New Guinea - the same trail encountered by Australian soldiers during WW11. But he labelled his superhuman effort "minute" compared with the efforts of the diggers who braved it almost 70-years-ago.

"It's amazing, it's a very special moment for me but if you put it in perspective what I've accomplished in the last 11 days is minute compared to the actions that took place here 60-odd-years-ago," he said from Papua New Guinea only hours after finishing the trek.

"When this is all over I'm able to go home, return to my family, to my life, but some of those blokes didn't have that chance."

"They overcame amazing odds and suffered through hardship . . . we were not fighting the Imperial Army every step of the way, here."

Now, check out this slide show on Kurt's amazing trek in Papua New Guinea:

 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QxCHixKCW98

And ... here is a brief video showing you how he ticks:

 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zpgX_UK62Io

 

Clancy's comment: What can I say? Wow. So, if you are feeling a tad down and need some inspiration, check out this guy in a marathon.  Love ya work, Kurt ... love ya work!

I'm ...