Peter Kirby (athlete) facts for kids
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| Nationality | Australian | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Born | 1964/1965 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Medal record
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Peter Kirby (born 1964/1965) is an amazing Australian athlete. He is known for his success in para-athletics, which is sports for athletes with disabilities. Peter won five medals at the 1984 Summer Paralympics in New York, including a gold medal!
Contents
Early Life and Sporting Start
Peter Kirby was born in Bega, New South Wales, Australia. His family are Wiradjuri people, an Indigenous Australian group. They moved around New South Wales before settling in Eden, New South Wales.
Overcoming Challenges
When Peter was 13 years old, he had a serious accident. He lost his right hand and forearm. This happened when he touched some fallen high-voltage power lines at the Eden sportsground.
Before the accident, Peter was already a top athlete at his high school. After his injury, one of his teachers, Phil Gould, helped him. Phil taught Peter how to change his running style to make up for his amputated forearm. This support helped Peter continue his passion for sports.
Paralympic Achievements
At 19 years old, Peter Kirby competed in the 1984 Summer Paralympics held in New York. He took part in five different athletics events. He showed incredible skill and determination, winning five medals!
Gold Medal Glory
Peter won a gold medal in the Men's 4×100 m Relay A4–9 event. A relay race involves a team of runners. Each runner carries a baton for part of the race before passing it to the next teammate.
Silver and Bronze Medals
He also earned a silver medal in the Men's 4 x 400 m Relay A4–9 event. This is another type of relay race, but over a longer distance.
Peter won three bronze medals as well. These were in the Men's 100 m A6, Men's 400 m A6, and Men's Long jump A6 events. The 100 m and 400 m are sprint races. The long jump is an event where athletes try to jump as far as possible from a running start.
A Historic Win
Peter Kirby made history at the 1984 Paralympics. He was the very first Indigenous Australian Paralympian to win a gold medal. This was a huge achievement for him and for Indigenous Australians.
After the Games
When Peter returned home from the New York Games, his community celebrated his success. He was given a special silver tray during half-time at a rugby league match. The people of Eden had played a big part in helping him get to the Games. They raised money to cover his travel costs.
Peter continued to compete after the Paralympics. He took part in the 1985 Australia Games. There, his relay team from the New York Games broke a world record!
Other Sports
Besides athletics, Peter Kirby also enjoyed playing other sports. He played Rugby League for several teams, including the Eden Tigers, Pambula-Merimbula Bulldogs, and South Coast United. He also played soccer for more than 11 years.
