Cameron Rahles-Rahbula
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| Nationality |
 Australia | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Born |
9 July 1983 Camperdown, Victoria | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Medal record
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Cameron Rahles-Rahbula (born 9 July 1983)[1] is a leg amputee Paralympic alpine skier from Australia. He won two bronze medals at the 2010 Vancouver Games.[2]
Personal
He was born in Camperdown, Victoria.[3] He was diagnosed osteosarcoma, a rare form of bone cancer at the age of 12 and after unsuccessful chemotherapy had his left leg amputated above the knee at the age of 14.[4] He attended a weekend ski camp at Mount Buller organised by Challenge, a children's cancer support network two weeks after his amputation. Within three days, he was able to ski by himself and this was the start of his Paralympic skiing career.[3]
He attended Geelong Grammar School. He went to Timbertop, for a year. Where intense physical training eg. Running, hiking and other outdoor programs, are required.[4] At university, he studied physiotherapy at the University of Melbourne and currently works as a physiotherapist.[3]
Career
His first major success was 2nd place in the Giant Slalom at the 2001 National Championships at Mount Hotham. He competed at the 2002 Salt Lake Games in four LW2 men's events - Downhill (9th), Slalom (17th), Giant Slalom (did not finish) and Super G (did not finish).[2] At the 2006 Torino Games, he competed in four standing events - 14th in the Slalom and did not finish in the Downhill, Giant Slalom and Super G.[2] At the 2010 Vancouver Games, he won bronze medals in the Men's Slalom Standing event and the Men's Super Combined Standing event. He finished 4th in the Downhill, 6th in the Giant Slalom and 5th in the Super G.[2]
At the 2004 IPC Alpine Skiing World Championships in Wildschönau, Austria he won two gold medals in the Super-G and Downhill and silver medal in the Slalom.[5] At the 2009 IPC Alpine Skiing World Championships in High Resort 1, Korea he won a gold medal in the Men's Slalom Standing and a bronze medal in the Men's Giant Slalom Standing.[5] He competed in three events at the 2011 IPC Alpine Skiing World Championships in Sestriere, Italy but did not win any medals.[5]
He has won multiple medals at IPC Alpine Skiing World Cup events. Since 2001, he has been an Australian Institute of Sport and Victorian Institute of Sport scholarship holder.[6]
Recognition
- 2004 - Young Victorian of the Year for his work with young skiers with a disability.[3]
- 2004 - University of Melbourne Sports Athlete of the Year [3]
- 2004/2005 - Local Citizen of the Year by Corangamite Shire Council in Victoria [3]
- 2010 - Australian Paralympian of the Year and Male Athlete of the Year[7]
References
- ↑ "Athlete Profile - Cameron Rahles-Rahbula". Australian Paralympic Committee Website. Retrieved 2 May 2012.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 "Athlete Search Results". International Paralympic Committee. Retrieved 5 October 2011.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 3.5 Torino 2006 Paralympic Winter Games Media Guide. Sydney: Australian Paralympic Committee. 2006. p. 22.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 "Can't stop a good sport". The Age. 26 January 2004.
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 "World Championship Results". IPC Alpine Skiing Website. Retrieved 2 May 2012.
- ↑ "Cameron Rahles-Rahbula". Australian Sports Commission Website. Retrieved 2 May 2012.
- ↑ "Paralympian of the Year Awards". Australian Paralympic Committee Website. Retrieved 2 May 2012.
External
Australian Paralympic Committee Athlete Profile
| Awards and achievements | ||
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| Preceded by Hugh Evans |
Young Victorian of the Year 2004 |
Succeeded by Lisa Castle |
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