Andrew Edmondson
2016 Australian Paralympic team portrait of Edmondson
Personal information
NicknameEdmo
NationalityAustralian
Born (1990-06-24) 24 June 1990 (age 33)
Sport
Country Australia
SportWheelchair rugby
Disability class2.0
Medal record
Wheelchair rugby
Representing  Australia
Paralympic Games
Gold medal – first place 2016 Rio Mixed
World Championships
Silver medal – second place 2018 Sydney Mixed
Gold medal – first place 2022 Vejle Mixed

Andrew John Edmondson OAM (born 24 June 1990) is an Australian wheelchair rugby player. He won a gold medal at the 2016 Rio Paralympics as a member of the Australian Steelers.[1] He has been selected for 2020 Summer Paralympics, his second Games.[2]

Personal

Edmondson was born on 24 June 1990.[3] His friends call him "Edmo". At the age of 13, he broke his neck whilst surfing at Coogee Beach.[3] At the time, he had received a scholarship to play rugby at Scots College in Sydney.[3] He has a Bachelor of Sports Business from the Australian College of Physical Education.[3] In 2021, he lives in Port Macquarie, New South Wales and is able to train with Ryley Batt. He has business role working for Melrose Wheelchairs and is a part of a public speaking programme through the Australian Institute of Sport in regards to mental health.[4]

Wheelchair rugby

As part of his rehabilitation, he watched a video on wheelchair rugby whilst at the Prince of Wales Hospital and became interested in the sport.[3] In 2004, he attended an Australian Paralympic Committee Come and Try Day.[3] He made his debut for the national team the Australian Steelers in 2014.[3] As of 2016, he has been a member of the NSW Gladiators for 10 years and captained the team for the last two years.[5] In 2015, he played in the United States wheelchair rugby competition.[5]

He was a member of the team that retained its gold medal at the 2016 Rio Paralympics after defeating the United States 59–58 in the final.[6] He was awarded the Order of Australia Medal in 2017.[7]

At the 2018 IWRF World Championship in Sydney, Australia, he was a member of the Australian team that won the silver medal after being defeated by Japan 61–62 in the gold medal game.[8]

Edmondson his won first world championship gold medal at the 2022 IWRF World Championship in Vejle, Denmark, when Australia defeated the United States .[9]

References

  1. ^ "Steelers aim to maintain their reign in Rio". Australian Paralympic Committee News. 25 July 2016. Archived from the original on 29 August 2016. Retrieved 25 July 2016.
  2. ^ "Steelers Eyeing Paralympic History… Again". Paralympics Australia. Retrieved 29 July 2021.
  3. ^ a b c d e f g "Andrew Edmondson". Australian Paralympic Committee. Retrieved 25 July 2016.
  4. ^ "Australia's Andrew Edmondson excited heading into his second Paralympics". International Paralympic Committee. 28 July 2021. Retrieved 29 July 2021.
  5. ^ a b Aubusson, Laura (19 February 2016). "Wheelchair rugby athlete's road to Rio". Southern Courier. Retrieved 25 July 2016.
  6. ^ Lees, Chris (19 September 2016). "Steelers double up with Paralympics gold". Sunshine Coast Daily. Retrieved 19 September 2016.
  7. ^ "OAM Final Media Notes (A-E)" (PDF). Governor General of Australia. Archived from the original (PDF) on 26 January 2017. Retrieved 26 January 2017.
  8. ^ "Results". IWRF Wheelchaair Rugby World Championships website. Archived from the original on 10 August 2018. Retrieved 10 August 2018.
  9. ^ "Australian Steelers Are World Wheelchair Rugby Champions". Paralympics Australia. 17 October 2022. Retrieved 17 October 2022.

External links

2016 Australian Paralympic Team
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