Local para athlete Nathan Donaldson took out the junior category in a prestigious wheelchair racing event on Australia Day despite racing the last half of the event with a flat tyre.
The wheelchair racer, who has cerebral palsy, is no stranger to the podium having competed in state and national events, winning a trove of medals.
Proud father Paul Donaldson said Nathan had a busy schedule of events to attend as part of his campaign to qualify for the Tokyo Paralympics in 2020.
“It will be a tough journey but one worth taking,” Mr Donaldson said.
In January Nathan attended the International Summer Down Under Wheelchair Racing Event held in Canberra and Sydney and is back in Canberra again next week to compete for a chance to qualify for the Junior World Championships.
On January 26 Nathan competed in the GIO Oz Day 10km Wheelchair Race through the Rocks in Sydney taking out the junior category.
“This is a very long running and prestigious event with Kurt Fearnley winning 11 open category races.
“The whole event is filled with Paralympian and Para Athlete wheelchair racers from all over the world. Nathan had a blow out and raced the last 5km with a flat tyre.”
Nathan’s upcoming events:
- Between March 7 and 10 Nathan will be at the Queensland State Championships
- National Championships 30 March to 7 April
- 23 to 25 April Nathan will compete in the international Classification being held in Darwin followed by the Afura Games
- 25 to 28 June is the Oceania Games in Toowoomba
- Late August Nathan will then be preparing to compete in the Junior World Championships in Switzerland.
Keep up to date with Nathan's progress on his Facebook page and website.
