Earle Connor
| Personal information | |
|---|---|
| Nationality | Canadian |
| Born |
July 30, 1976 Castlegar, British Columbia |
| Height | 173 cm (68 in) (2008) |
| Weight | 66 kg (146 lb) (2008) |
| Sport | |
| Country |
 Canada |
| Sport | Athletics |
| Event(s) | 100 m, 200 m, 400 m, long jump |
| Achievements and titles | |
| Paralympic finals |
2008 Summer Paralympics: 100 m T42 – Gold
2000 Summer Paralympics: 100 m T42 – Gold |
| Personal best(s) |
60 m: 7.87 (2006, WR) |
Earle Connor (July 30, 1976-) is a Canadian Paralympic amputee sprinter. Connor holds several athletics world records in the class of T42, or above-knee, amputee.
Biography
Early life
Earle Connor was born July 30, 1976 in Castlegar, British Columbia to Dave and Diane Connor. Because he was born without a left fibula, his left leg was amputated above-the-knee when he was 3 months old.[2] At the age of 9 months Earle was fitted with his first prosthetic leg.
Growing up in rural Saskatchewan, Connor played all available sports, excelling at hockey, tennis and baseball, and graduated from Rosthern Junior College. Connor was the first amputee ever drafted into the Canadian Junior Hockey system as a goaltender.
Paralympic career
Connor was inspired by watching television coverage of the 1996 Summer Paralympics to become an amputee sprinter with the goal of competing at the 2000 Summer Paralympics. At the 2000 Paralympics in Sydney, he took gold in the 100-metre final, but finished second in the 200 metres when a misstep on the first corner cost him a few seconds.
Connor missed the 2004 Summer Paralympics because of tesacel cancer due to cancer-related concerns in 2001.In 2004 Connors urine samples were found to contain banned substance from his cancer medicine, and he was disqualified from attending the Paralympics. He has never admitted having used steroids but openly admitted using his medication without gaining approval.[3]
He returned to the Paralympics in 2008, winning gold in the men's T42 100 m sprint and setting a new Paralympic record time of 12.32 seconds.[4]
Awards
- 1997: Canadian Disabled Athlete of the Year (also won in 1998 and 1999)
- 2000: inductee, Calgary's Sports Hall of Fame
- 2004:
Laureus World Sportsperson of the Year with a Disability, Laureus World Sports AwardsReward rescinded
References
- ↑ "Earle Connor breaks 100m Amputee World Record… on his birthday". Canadian Paralympic Committee. 2008-07-30.
- ↑ Munroe, Dustin (2008-09-03). "Beijing gold rush". The Star Phoenix.
- ↑ "Star Canadian sprinter out of Paralympics after positive test". CBC Sports. 2004-09-15.
- ↑ Kingston, Gary (2008-09-14). "Paralympics: Redemption for Canada's Earle Connor as he cruises to sprinting gold". Vancouver Sun.