Michael Roeger

Started: He began running in 1999 while he was at school in Langhorne Creek, SA, Australia. (Athlete, 24 Oct 2015; victoriaharbortimes.com.au, 02 Jul 2008) Reason: He was inspired to take up the sport after listening to Australian Para sprinter Neil Fuller give a talk about Para sport at his school. He began focusing on running after he gave up his childhood dream of becoming an Australian rules football player. "Early on in my life, I fell in love with running. What I loved most about running is I felt free and when I ran, nothing else mattered. I loved the feeling of racing and being on that start line where everyone was equal, and all you had to do was run as hard as you could until the finish." (theurbanlist.com, 31 Jan 2023; runnerstribe.com, 22 Jan 2020; paralympic.org.au, 01 Jan 2016) Ambition: To compete at the 2024 Paralympic Games in Paris. (Facebook page, 07 Dec 2023; athleticswest.com.au, 06 Mar 2024) Awards: He was named Para Athlete of the Year for the 2021/22 season by Athletics South Australia. (athleticssa.com.au, 26 May 2022) In 2014 and 2018 he was named Male Para Athlete of the Year by Athletics Australia. (athleticsact.org.au, 08 Apr 2019; canberratimes.com.au, 24 Oct 2014) In 2017 he was named the Young Citizen of the Year in Strathalbyn, SA, Australia. (victorharbortimes.com.au, 06 Feb 2017) Additional Info: RAPPORT WITH COACH He began working with coach Philo Saunders in 2012. "Philo is a genius. He knows exactly what I need to reach my full potential, and I back him 110%. It's a truly unique relationship that Philo has with his athletes and one I know we all truly appreciate and are grateful of." (runnerstribe.com, 22 Jan 2020) EARLY DAYS He grew up in Langhorne Creek, SA, Australia, and discovered his passion for running when his school teachers would get students to do laps of the local vineyards. "Langhorne Creek is famous for some of the best wine in the country. So much great shiraz has come out of Langhorne Creek, but it's a small town and I think my school had about 80 kids from kindergarten to year six. Our three or four teachers used to get us to run around the vineyards, a two-kilometre loop. That was a cool way to start that people in the city don't really get. I was always at the pointy end of the field in those runs." (athletesvoice.com.au, 01 Jan 2019) EARLY WORRIES He was insecure about what others would think of him and his running performances when he started his athletics career. He has since worked with sport psychologists and no longer experiences the same anxiety as he did as a younger athlete. "The pressure and nerves of racing and competing were hard to deal with at first. I've learnt now, with sport psychologists and people in my team, that it doesn't matter what Australia or the world thinks of me, whether I run a world record or whether I run last. It just matters what the people in my corner, my coach, my close team and my family and friends think." (athletesvoice.com.au, 01 Jan 2019) HEALTH SCARE During the 2012 Paralympic Games in London he suffered from a gastrointestinal bleed, mainly caused by anti-inflammatory medication. He was forced to withdraw from the T46 800m heats and had to spend time in hospital. He experienced the same problem in 2018 and 2022. "The night before the race I was bleeding internally. It was the hardest thing I've been through. I was spewing up what looked like coffee grinds, but was actually dried blood, just before I had to go to the cool room to race. I sat in the cool room and I couldn't stand up because my head was killing me, and I was seeing these Kenyans and Ethiopians just doing strides and run-throughs. I thought, 'Geez how am I going to get out there and run?' I got through half a lap, basically dropped to the ground and told them to put me on a drip. I was in hospital in London for four days, had to have a blood transfusion, then flew back to Australia to get some more treatment." (abc.net.au, 24 Feb 2023; athletics.com.au, 08 Nov 2022; athletesvoice.com.au, 01 Jan 2019)