Nikki Ayers
Australian Paralympic rower
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Nikki Louise Ayers OAM (born 3 March 1991)[1] is an Australian Paralympic rower. She was a member of the PR3 Mix 4+ at the 2020 Tokyo Paralympics.[2] Ayers and Jed Altschwager won a gold medal at the 2023 World Rowing Championships and the 2024 Paris Paralympics.
Ayers in 2019 | |
| Personal information | |
|---|---|
| Nationality | Australian |
| Born | 3 March 1991 |
| Home town | Canberra, ACT |
| Sport | |
| Country | Australia |
| Sport | Para-rowing |
| Disability class | PR3 |
| Club | Capital Lakes Rowing Club |
| Coached by | Christine McLaren |
Personal life
Ayers grew up in Narooma, New South Wales and moved to Canberra to study for a nursing degree at University of Canberra.[3] Ayers played rugby union and captained the ACT Women's Brumbies 7's team. In 2016, during a rugby union game, a tackle led to her dislocating her knee. The injury severed a major artery and nerve damage caused her to lose feeling in her foot.[1] She underwent 16 operations to save her leg and repair her knee.[4] In 2021, she worked as a registered nurse in the Intensive Care Unit at The Canberra Hospital and has a postgraduate Diploma in Critical Care.
Ayers is openly lesbian. She was one of the initial ambassadors of a program called "Thrive With Pride" started by the Australian Institute of Sport (AIS). At the 2024 Paris Paralympics, Ayers was an ambassador for Pride House Paris 2024.[5]
Rowing career
Ayers competed twice in the surf boat George Bass Marathon along the South Coast.[3] Ayers' road to para rowing started through a 2017 Train4Tokyo session at the Australian Institute of Sport.[3] She commenced serious rowing training in January 2018 and was selected in the PR3 mixed coxed four at the 2018 World Rowing Championships where the crew finished fifth.[4]
She has won PR3 Women's Single Scull at Australian Rowing Championships in 2019 and 2021.[1]
At the 2020 Summer Paralympics, Ayers was a member of the PR3 Mix 4+ along with Tom Birtwhistle, James Talbot, Alexandra Viney. Their coxswain was Renae Domaschenz. They qualified for the final after winning their Repechage with time of 7:06.98 but came fourth in the final and failed to win a medal.[6]
Ayers moved to Adelaide after completing her midwifery studies in Canberra in to train with Jed Altschwager in the PR3 Mixed Double.[7]
Ayers with Jed Altschwager won the gold medal in the PR3 Mixed Double at the 2023 World Rowing Championships in Belgrade and the 2024 Summer Paralympics.[8] They became the first Australian Paralympic rowers to win a gold medal.[9]
Recognition
- 2023 - Rowing Australia Para Crew of the Year with Jed Altschwager.[10]
- 2023 - World Rowing Para Crew of the Year with Jed Altschwager[11]
- 2023 - Canberra Sport Awards - Para Athlete of The Year and Female Athlete of the Year
- 2024 - South Australian Sports Institute Para Athlete of the Year Jed Altschwager[12]
- 2023 - Rowing Australia Para Crew of the Year with Jed Altschwager[13]
- 2024 -Paralympics Australia Team of the Year with Jed Altschwager[14]
- 2024 - Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM) for service to sport as a gold medallist at the Paris Paralympic Games 2024.[15]
