Richard Nicholson (Paralympian)
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Australia 2012 Australian Paralympic team portrait of Nicholson | |
| Personal information | |
|---|---|
| Nationality | Australia |
| Born | 30 June 1970 |
Richard Nicholson (born 30 June 1970) is an Australian Paralympic powerlifter and athlete. He has competed at five successive Paralympic Games from the 1996 to 2012 Summer Paralympics. At the 2000 Games, he won a silver medal in the powerlifting Men's Up to 60 kg event. In athletics, at the 2004 Athens Paralympics he won a silver medal in the Men's 4 × 100 m T53–54 event and at the 2012 London Paralympics a bronze medal in the Men's 4 × 400 m T53–54 event.[1]
Nicholson was born on 30 June 1970 in Sydney, New South Wales.[1] At the age of four he became ill and subsequently lost the use of his legs.[2] At the age of seven, he used a skateboard given to him by his parents to move around Canberra.[2] As of 2015, he was working as a sports consultant at the Australian Sports Commission.[2] In February 2016, it was announced that Nicholson was being appointed to being University of Canberra 's second Athlete in Residence. This position allows him the opportunity to share his experience with University of Canberra students.[3]
Powerlifting
Nicholson's first sporting activity was archery follow by gymnastics. Nicholson noted that gymnastics gave him a strong upper body and strong work ethic, particularly through the Roman rings.[2][4] He then took up powerlifting where he competed at the 1996 Atlanta Games and finished eight in the 56 kg category.[1] He went on to win a silver medal in the 60 kg category at the 2000 Sydney Games.[1] He also won a silver medal in the bench press at the 2002 Manchester Commonwealth Games.[1] He quit powerlifting because of the existence of doping. Ten powerlifters tested positive to drugs at the 2000 Sydney Paralympics.[5]
