Kurt Fearnley focuses on teaching career after being named Australian NSW of the Year

published

November 13, 2018 14:57:02

To cap off an extraordinary year of achievements, Kurt Fearnley has been named Australia 's NSW of 2019. But now, Australia' s most famous wheelchair rider said his goal was to find the right one. balance in his life and his pbadion for teaching.

During his 25-year career, Fearnley has won three Paralympic gold medals, seven world titles and 35 stunning marathon wins in 10 countries.

"I graduated as a teacher in 2005 and, for 25 years, it's only been a race.I want to focus on my family and continue to support and defend the rights people with disabilities, "Fearnley told ABC.

He is qualified as a PDHPE – Teacher in Personal Development, Health and Physical Education – but he has not decided yet whether he would work in Australia or Newcastle.

The humble 37-year-old man was shocked to receive the award at a ceremony in Sydney last night.

"Although I feel unworthy, I feel absolutely overwhelmed to represent my state in Canberra and will do everything in my power to justify this moment that is yet to come," Fearnley said in his thank-you speech.

Born with lumbar sacral agenesis-missing parts of his spine and sacrum-did not stop Kurt, who was crawling around the pens and running in his wheelchair with his siblings growing up in Carcoar, in the center. west of New South Wales.

He once dreamed of representing Australia in rugby or cricket.

"Dad saw me crawling in the fields playing football while he was watching Oz Day 10K and seeing these gladiators in a wheelchair and he was picking me up. showed what was there for me, "Fearnley said.

It describes itself as the product of the result of kindness offered by many people over the years.

Now he wants to share this positive message with others.

"When I look back, you do not see the race won, you do not see the medals, they are stored in a box huggies in my child's room.

"I see a director who asked that I receive public education and fought for me and my family when we did not even know that there was a fight there," he said. .

"I see a teacher who told me that I was more than a HSC brand and a coach who told me that I thought I could be the best in the world and that I Was willing to do these steps with me. "

He has won 13 medals at five Paralympic Games, the Sydney Marathon 11 times, the New York Marathon five times and is convinced that the sport offers opportunities for people with disabilities.

The Novocastrian retired from the international wheelchair race this year, winning gold at the Gold Coast Commonwealth Games marathon, silver in the 1500m and sporting the Australian flag at the closing ceremony .

Among his off-road achievements, he traveled the 96 km Kokoda track, sensitized to men's health, piloted the winning sailboat during the 2011 Sydney to Hobart race and received the Order of the Year medal. 39, Australia in 2005.

This year, he was named an Officer of the Order of Australia for his distinguished service to persons with disabilities and his fundraising activities for Aboriginal athletes and charities, as well as for his Paralympic achievements. .

The wheelchair racer also became the first disabled athlete to win the Don Award in October, and his thank you speech for better opportunities for people with disabilities became viral.

Where to go from here

The champion athlete is eager to find his two young children – four and one – and return to teaching.

"From there, I have a few months to think about what" NSW Australian of the Year "means, but my main goal is to teach," Fearnley said.

"Not only sports, but education is a way to improve the lives of people all over the world."

His work with the Kurt Fearnley Center in Nairobi, which offers educational opportunities for African children, is also on his agenda.

He wishes to continue serving on the board of directors of the Australian Paralympic Committee, describing the games as a jewel of the sporting crown, and will consider entering the sports administration in the coming years.

"I will always strive to strengthen the movement of people with disabilities," he said.

Topics:

Paralympic Games,

sport,

disabled

education,

Carcoar-2791,

Sydney 2000,

nsw,

Australia