1. Kurt Fearnley has a congenital disorder called sacral agenesis which prevented fetal development of certain parts of his lower spine and all of his sacrum.
21 Facts About Kurt Fearnley
1. 2.
Kurt Fearnley focuses on long and middle-distance wheelchair races, and has won medals in sprint relays.
3.
Kurt Fearnley participated in the 2000,2004,2008,2012 and 2016 Summer Paralympic Games, finishing his Paralympic Games career with thirteen medals.
4.
Kurt Fearnley won a gold and silver medal at the 2018 Commonwealth Games and was the Australian flag bearer at the closing ceremony.
5.
Kurt Fearnley was born with sacral agenesis; he is missing certain parts of his lower spine and all of his sacrum.
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Kurt Fearnley won his first athletics medal in the long jump.
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Kurt Fearnley took up wheelchair racing at the age of 14 and took it to an elite level at the age of 17.
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Kurt Fearnley is 1.4 metres tall and weighs 50 kilograms.
9.
In 1997, Kurt Fearnley was a member of the Western Region Academy of Sport and by the 2000 Sydney Paralympics was representing Australia.
10.
In November 2009, Kurt Fearnley crawled the Kokoda Trail accompanied by family and friends in support of Movember and Beyond Blue.
11.
Kurt Fearnley completed the 96-kilometre journey in 10 days.
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Kurt Fearnley is active in advocacy work, and has been an ambassador for the Don't DIS my ABILITY campaign for four years.
13.
Kurt Fearnley was a 2010 International Day of People with Disability Ambassador.
14.
In 2010, Kurt Fearnley competed again in the New York marathon, which he came in third.
15.
Later in the year, Kurt Fearnley competed in the 2011 Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race.
16.
Kurt Fearnley left Doha immediately to compete in the New York Marathon where he finished fifth after crashing at the 12-mile mark.
17.
Kurt Fearnley indicated he will race in the wheelchair marathon at the 2018 Gold Coast Commonwealth Games and continue to race marathons on the international circuit.
18.
At the 2017 World Para Athletics Championships in London, England, Kurt Fearnley finished sixth in both the Men's 1500 m and 5000 m T54 events.
19.
At the 2018 Gold Coast Commonwealth Games, Kurt Fearnley won the gold medal in the Men's Marathon T54 and silver in the Men's 1500 T54.
20.
Kurt Fearnley was given the honour of the flag bearer at the closing ceremony.
21.
Kurt Fearnley was coached by Andrew Dawes at the New South Wales Institute of Sport.