Don Elgin facts for kids
2000 Australian Paralympic team portrait of Elgin
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| Full name | Donald James William Elgin | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Nationality |  Australia |
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| Born | 19 December 1975 Donald, Victoria |
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| Height | 178 centimetres (70 in) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Weight | 80 kilograms (180 lb) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Club | Sandringham | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Medal record
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Donald James William Elgin (born 19 December 1975) is an amazing Australian Paralympic athlete. He's famous for winning four medals in track and field events at three different Paralympic Games! Don is a true inspiration, showing what you can achieve with determination and hard work.
Contents
About Don's Life
Don Elgin was born on 19 December 1975 in a town called Donald, in Victoria, Australia. He was born with some differences, including not having a left leg and a left thumb. His left foot was also different and was removed shortly after he was born. He even had heart surgery when he was three years old.
Don grew up in Tocumwal, New South Wales. As a teenager, he loved sports and competed in both athletics and swimming. Today, Don lives in Melbourne with his wife, three daughters, and a son.
Don is also a successful businessman. He started a company called StarAmp Global. This company helps and supports other Paralympic athletes. He also travels around Australia and the world as a motivational speaker. He inspires many people with his incredible story.
Don's Sports Journey
Don's journey in sports for people with disabilities began early. He first competed at the 1990 New South Wales Amputee Championships. His first big international competition was the 1994 IPC Athletics World Championships in Berlin. There, he won a gold medal in the 4x100 metre relay race. He also earned a bronze medal in the high jump event.
He competed at the 1996 Atlanta Paralympics. While he didn't win a medal there, he kept working hard. At the 1998 IPC Athletics World Championships, he placed fourth in the pentathlon.
Paralympic Medals
Don's hard work paid off at the 2000 Sydney Paralympics. He won a bronze medal in the Men's Pentathlon P44 event. A pentathlon is a competition with five different events.
At the 2002 IPC Athletics World Championships in Lille, he won even more medals. He took home two silver medals in the pentathlon and the 4x400 metre relay. He also earned a bronze medal in the 4x100 metre relay.
The 2004 Athens Paralympics were also very successful for Don. He won a silver medal in the Men's 4x400 metre T42–46 event. He also secured two bronze medals in the Men's 4x100 metre T42–46 and Men's Pentathlon P44 events.
Later Career
In 2006, Don competed at the IPC Athletics World Championships again. He finished sixth in the pentathlon. He had the special honour of being the Australian flag-bearer at the opening ceremony. That same year, he also worked as a commentator for the 2006 Commonwealth Games in Melbourne.
Don retired from para-athletics in 2008. But he made an exciting comeback in 2013! He learned that his sport would be part of the 2014 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow. At those games, he finished eighth in the Men's Discus Throw F42/44 event.
Don had many coaches who helped him throughout his career. These included Roy Boyd, Cath Woodruff, John Eden, De Jennings, and Peter Negropontis. He also received support from the Victorian Institute of Sport for 12 years. Today, Don continues to be involved in sports. He is the team manager for the Australian Paralympic Athletics Team.
Awards and Recognition
Don Elgin has received special awards for his contributions to sport.
- In 2000, he was given an Australian Sports Medal. This award recognized his "service to amputee sport," especially his work in helping young athletes develop.
- In November 2018, he received the Victorian Institute of Sport Frank Pyke Achievement Award. This award celebrates great achievements.
Images for kids
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Australian athlete Don Elgin receives support from an official at the completion of one of the events in the pentathlon at the 1996 Atlanta Paralympic Games
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Close up of Elgin looking upwards during track competition at the 2000 Summer Paralympics
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Elgin competing in the pentathlon at the 1996 Atlanta Paralympic Games
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Elgin throwing the shot put at the 2000 Sydney Paralympics
See also
In Spanish: Don Elgin para niños
