Richard Andrew Colman (born 28 November 1984 in

Stavanger, Norway Stavanger (, , US usually , ) is a city and municipality in Norway. It is the fourth largest city and third largest metropolitan area in Norway (through conurbation with neighboring Sandnes) and the administrative center of Rogaland county. Th ...

) is an Australian

Paralympic The Paralympic Games or Paralympics, also known as the ''Games of the Paralympiad'', is a periodic series of international multisport events involving athletes with a range of physical disabilities, including impaired muscle power and impaire ...

athlete An athlete (also sportsman or sportswoman) is a person who competes in one or more sports that involve physical strength, speed, or endurance. Athletes may be professionals or amateurs. Most professional athletes have particularly well-devel ...

, competing mainly in category T53 sprint events. He was born with

spina bifida Spina bifida (Latin for 'split spine'; SB) is a birth defect in which there is incomplete closing of the spine and the membranes around the spinal cord during early development in pregnancy. There are three main types: spina bifida occulta, me ...

. He represented Australia at the four Paralympics - 2004 to 2016.

Paralympics

Colman competed at the

2004 Athens Paralympics ) , nations = 136 , athletes = 3,806 , events = 519 in 19 sports , opening = 17 September , closing = 28 September , opened_by = President Costis Stephanopoulos , cauldron = Georgios Toptsis , stadium = Olympic ...

, where he won a gold medal in the men's 800 m – T53 event, for which he received a

Medal of the Order of Australia The Order of Australia is an honour that recognises Australian citizens and other persons for outstanding achievement and service. It was established on 14 February 1975 by Elizabeth II, Queen of Australia, on the advice of the Australian Gove ...

, a silver medal in the men's 4 x 100 m relay – T53–54 event, went out in the first round of the men's 100 m – T53 event, finished seventh in the men's 200 m – T53 event, finished sixth in the men's 400 m – T53 event, went out in the first round of the men's 4 x 400 m relay – T53-54 event. He also competed at the 2008 Beijing Paralympics, where he won a silver medal in the men's 200 m – T53 event, a bronze medal in the men's 400 m – T53 event, was disqualified in the men's 4 x 100 m relay – T53-54 event and finished fourth in the men's 800 m – T53 event. At the 2012 London Paralympics, he won a gold medal in the Men's 800 m T53 event and two bronze medals in the Men's 400 m T53 and Men's 4x400 m T53/54 events;, he also came seventh in the Men's 200 m T53- event. At the

2016 Rio Paralympics ) , nations = 159 , athletes = 4,342 , opening = 7 September , closing = 18 September , opened_by = President Michel Temer , cauldron = Clodoaldo Silva , events = 528 in 22 sports , stadium = Maracanã , sum ...

, he finished 12th ranked in Men's 400 m T53 heats and 8th in the Men's 800 m T53 heats and did not advance to the finals.

Commonwealth Games

Colman won a silver medal in the 1500 m T54 at the 2010 Delhi Commonwealth Games and came fourth in the same event at the 2014 competition.

IPC Athletics World Championships

Colman has competed at four

IPC Athletics World Championships The World Para Athletics Championships, known as the IPC Athletics World Championships prior to 2017, are a biennial Paralympic athletics event organized by World Para Athletics, a subcommittee of the International Paralympic Committee (IPC). It ...

. In 2002, he won a bronze medal in the Men's 400 m T53. In 2006, he won a bronze medal in the Men's 800 m T53. At the 2011 Championships, he won a gold medal in the Men's s 800m T53 and a silver medal in the Men's 400 m T53. At the 2013 Championships in

Lyon, France Lyon,, ; Occitan: ''Lion'', hist. ''Lionés'' also spelled in English as Lyons, is the third-largest city and second-largest metropolitan area of France. It is located at the confluence of the rivers Rhône and Saône, to the northwest of th ...

, he won bronze medals in the Men's 800m and 1500m T53 events. He was selected to compete at the 2015 Championships in

Doha Doha ( ar, الدوحة, ad-Dawḥa or ''ad-Dōḥa'') is the capital city and main financial hub of Qatar. Located on the Persian Gulf coast in the east of the country, north of Al Wakrah and south of Al Khor, it is home to most of the coun ...

but withdrew from the competition.

Personal

Colman grew up in

Geelong Geelong ( ) (Wathawurrung: ''Djilang''/''Djalang'') is a port city in the southeastern Australian state of Victoria, located at the eastern end of Corio Bay (the smaller western portion of Port Phillip Bay) and the left bank of Barwon River, ...

and attended

Geelong College , motto_translation = Thus one goes to the stars , established = , type = Independent, co-educational, day and boarding, Christian school , denomination = in association with the Uniting ...

. Colman stated that “I did every single sport I could growing up, I think that’s why I’ve become an athlete because my school was so inclusive and supportive of the community and me being involved. It really did show me back then that yeah, I’m in a wheelchair but I can still be involved in nearly any sport and opportunities.” Colman is the first wheelchair AFL goal umpire in the Geelong League in 2007. In 2009, he completed a Bachelor of Commerce studies at

Deakin University Deakin University is a public university in Victoria, Australia. Founded in 1974, the university was named after Alfred Deakin, the second Prime Minister of Australia. Its main campuses are in Melbourne's Burwood suburb, Geelong Waurn Ponds, ...

. He received a Deakin Young Alumni of the Year Award in 2012 in recognition of his outstanding sporting achievements, particularly in wheelchair athletics. Colman was made a

Member of the Order of Australia The Order of Australia is an honour that recognises Australian citizens and other persons for outstanding achievement and service. It was established on 14 February 1975 by Elizabeth II, Queen of Australia, on the advice of the Australian Gove ...

(AM) in the

2014 Queen's Birthday Honours The 2014 Birthday Honours were appointments by some of the 16 Commonwealth realms of Queen Elizabeth II to various orders and honours to reward and highlight good works by citizens of those countries. The Birthday Honours are awarded as part of ...

for "significant service to sport as a gold medallist at the London 2012 Paralympic Games, and to the community". He is currently working with junior athletes to develop the next generation of Paralympic champions. In the summer he coaches international senior athletes in Geelong. Colman became the first person in a wheelchair to complete the Death Road in Bolivia, a 64 kilometre track which descends 3500 metres. Colman stated '''Death Road pushed me to my limits but it was an incredible experience to say the least.''' In 2020, Colman is an Active Geelong Ambassador.

References

External links

* *
Richard Colman
at Australian Athletics Historical Results
Personal website
{{DEFAULTSORT:Colman, Richard Paralympic athletes for Australia Athletes (track and field) at the 2004 Summer Paralympics Athletes (track and field) at the 2008 Summer Paralympics Athletes (track and field) at the 2010 Commonwealth Games Athletes (track and field) at the 2012 Summer Paralympics Athletes (track and field) at the 2016 Summer Paralympics Athletes (track and field) at the 2014 Commonwealth Games Commonwealth Games silver medallists for Australia Paralympic gold medalists for Australia Paralympic silver medalists for Australia Paralympic bronze medalists for Australia Wheelchair category Paralympic competitors Recipients of the Medal of the Order of Australia Members of the Order of Australia People with spina bifida 1984 births Living people Sportspeople from Stavanger Sportspeople from Geelong Deakin University alumni Medalists at the 2004 Summer Paralympics Medalists at the 2008 Summer Paralympics Medalists at the 2012 Summer Paralympics Norwegian wheelchair racers Australian male wheelchair racers Norwegian male athletes Commonwealth Games medallists in athletics Paralympic medalists in athletics (track and field) Medallists at the 2010 Commonwealth Games Sportsmen from Victoria (state)