Kurt Fearnley
| Medal record | ||
|---|---|---|
Competitor for  Australia |
||
| Men's athletics | ||
| Paralympic Games | ||
| Gold | 2004 Athens | 5000 m T54 |
| Gold | 2004 Athens | Marathon T54 |
| Gold | 2008 Beijing | Marathon T54 |
| Silver | 2000 Sydney | 800 m T54 |
| Silver | 2000 Sydney | 4×100 m relay T53/T54 |
| Silver | 2004 Athens | 4×100 m relay T53/T54 |
| Silver | 2008 Beijing | 800 m T54 |
| Silver | 2008 Beijing | 5000 m T54 |
| Bronze | 2008 Beijing | 1500 m T54 |
| Commonwealth Games | ||
| Gold | 2010 Delhi | 1500 m T54 |
Kurt Harry Fearnley, OAM[1] (born 23 May 1981 in Carcoar, New South Wales) is an Australian wheelchair racer, who competes at the Olympic level. At the 2004 Olympic Games, he finished 5th in the demonstration sport of Men's 1500m wheelchair. Following this he won gold in the 5000m and marathon at the 2004 Summer Paralympics in Athens, for which he received a Medal of the Order of Australia. [1]
In 1997 Kurt was a member of the Western Region Academy of Sport and was inducted into the Academy's Hall of Fame in 2007.[2]
Within four years he was representing his country at the 2000 Paralympic Games in Sydney. Here, Fearnley won silver medals in the 800 metres and 4×100 metre relay.[3]
On 30 September 2009, Fearnley conducted a training climb of Sydney's Centrepoint Tower's 1,504 fire stairs in 20 minutes, taking them two at a time. While far short of the 6m 52s record for the annual charity climb (Sydney Tower Run-up), the Tower's manager says this is quicker than the 25 minutes required by most able-bodied people.[4]
In 2009, his achievements included his fourth New York Marathon title, his third consecutive win in the Chicago Marathon and victories in Seoul, Paris, London and Sydney.[5] In November 2009, Kurt crawled the Kokoda Trail accompanied by family and friends in support of Movember and Beyond Blue.[6] He successfully completed the 96 kilometre journey in 11 days.[7]
Fearnley is active in advocacy work, and has been an ambassador for the Don't DIS my ABILITY [8] campaign for four years. He is also a 2010 IDPwD Ambassador.[9] In 2010, Kurt competed again in the New York marathon, which he came in third. In the same year Kurt's image was also featured on the medal for the 2010 Blackmores Sydney Running Festival.[10]
In 2011, he was a nominee for The Age's Sport Performer Award in the Performer with a Disability category.[11]
In 2011, Fearnley competed in the Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race.[12]
[edit] References
- ^ a b "Fearnley, Kurt". It's an Honour. http://www.itsanhonour.gov.au/honours/honour_roll/search.cfm?aus_award_id=1057850&search_type=quick&showInd=true. Retrieved 1 February 2012.
- ^ Western Region Academy of Sport Hall of Fame, WRAS Website, 2010-01-14
- ^ "Australian Honour Roll". Australian Paralympic Committee Annual Report 2010 (Australian Paralympic Committee): 10. 2010.
- ^ 2 at a time: Paralympian climbs Centrepoint on his hands, ABC Online, 2009-09-30
- ^ Speaker Profile of Kurt Fearnley at The Celebrity Speakers Bureau
- ^ Kurt Fearnley, International Day of People with Disability, accessed 2009-09-30
- ^ PNG correspondent Liam Fox and wires. "Fearnley conquers Kokoda Track - ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation)". Abc.net.au. http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2009/11/18/2746156.htm. Retrieved 2012-01-04.
- ^ "Home - Don't DIS my ABILITY - International Day of People with a Disability in NSW". Dontdismyability.com.au. 2 November 2011. http://www.dontdismyability.com.au. Retrieved 2012-01-04.
- ^ IDPwD ambassador
- ^ Profile of Kurt Fearnley
- ^ "2011 Nominees". Melbourne, Victoria: Sport Performer Awards. 2011. http://www.performerawards.com.au/2011-performer-awards/2011-nominees#twoj_fragment1-5. Retrieved 15 November 2011.
- ^ 26 December 2011 12:01AM (26 December 2011). "Paralympian Kurt Fearnley up for the task in Sydney-to-Hobart". Herald Sun. http://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/paralympian-kurt-fearnley-up-for-the-task-in-sydney-to-hobart/story-e6frfglf-1226230258498. Retrieved 2012-01-04.
- Commonwealth Games gold medallists for Australia
- Paralympic athletes of Australia
- Athletes (track and field) at the 2000 Summer Paralympics
- Athletes (track and field) at the 2004 Summer Paralympics
- Athletes (track and field) at the 2008 Summer Paralympics
- Paralympic gold medalists for Australia
- Paralympic silver medalists for Australia
- Paralympic bronze medalists for Australia
- Recipients of the Medal of the Order of Australia
- 1981 births
- Living people
