Michael Norton (skier)
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.jpg) Norton at the 1994 Lillehammer Winter Games | ||||||||||||||||||
| Personal information | ||||||||||||||||||
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| Full name | Michael Joseph Norton | |||||||||||||||||
| Nationality | Australian | |||||||||||||||||
| Born | 22 April 1964 | |||||||||||||||||
| Died | 22 August 1996 (aged 32) Melbourne, Victoria | |||||||||||||||||
Medal record
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Michael Joseph Norton, OAM[1] (22 April 1964 – 22 August 1996) was an Australian Paralympic alpine skier. As a paraplegic sit skier, he won two gold medals at the 1994 Lillehammer Winter Paralympics.
Norton grew up on a dairy farm in Leongatha, Victoria.[2] He attended Leongatha High School and left in year four.[3] In February 1984, on the way home from work on his motorbike, he hit a rock and came off the bike near Foster in South Gippsland and became paralysed.[4] At the time of the accident, he was an electrician.[4] Prior to the accident, he was involved in rock climbing and white-water kayaking.[4] After the accident, he completed his high school certificate and started an engineering degree. He ceased the degree, due to having an operation.[4]
Norton established a ski school at Mount Buller for disabled people. His first student was champion Australian wheelchair tennis player Daniela Di Toro.[2] Norton pushed his wheelchair from Melbourne to Mount Buller to raise funds to purchase specialised equipment.[2] He frequently appeared on television to raise the profile of disability sport and to raise funds.[3]
Norton was found dead on 22 August 1996 in his home in the Melbourne suburb of Middle Park.[5] Graeme Johnstone, the Victorian Coroner, found that he had died of a heroin overdose. The coroner also stated there was no evidence that Norton was a long-term user of heroin or other illicit drugs.[5] Family and friends were dissatisfied by the police investigation, which took place eight weeks after his death. The coroner's findings were based on this investigation.[5] Norton was buried in Leongatha.[3]
