Rheed McCracken

Started: He began competing in Para athletics in 2005, and took up wheelchair racing in 2010 in Sydney, NSW, Australia. (paralympic.org.au, 01 Sep 2016; qasport.qld.gov.au, 04 Aug 2015; Athlete, 06 Nov 2019) Reason: He initially competed in ambulant events, but after multiple operations he began using a wheelchair at age 13. He then had a chance meeting with Australian television personality David Koch, as they were sitting next to each other on an aeroplane. They began talking about Australian wheelchair racer Kurt Fearnley, and Koch offered him the opportunity to compete in a race featuring Fearnley in Sydney, NSW, Australia. (paralympic.org.au, 01 Sep 2016) Ambition: To win gold at the 2024 Paralympic Games in Paris. (heraldsun.com.au, 18 May 2024) Awards: In 2016 he was named Junior Male Athlete of the Year by the Sporting Wheelies and Disabled Association in Queensland, Australia. (news-mail.com.au, 27 Nov 2016) In 2015 he was named Male Sportsperson with an Impairment of the Year at the Bundaberg Regional Sports Awards in Australia. (bundaberg.qld.gov.au, 04 Jul 2015) In 2012 he was named Junior Athlete of the Year by the Australian Paralympic Committee [APC]. He shared the award with Para swimmer Maddison Elliott. (paralympic.org.au, 05 Apr 2013) Additional Info: TATTOOS He gets tattoos to commemorate his athletic achievements. "I actually look at my arm and try to find new spaces where I can put a tattoo. There's a Big Ben tattoo which was from my first Paralympic Games in 2012 in London. I also have my racing numbers from the London and Rio Games. There is also a Christ the Redeemer tattoo and also tattoos involving my family. My Superman is solely dedicated to Tyson, a very close friend who sadly passed away and was a tremendous sprinter. He wasn't a wheelchair athlete - just a great person who never got to reach his true potential." (crfashionbook.com, 04 Mar 2018; news-mail.com.au, 14 Jul 2017; Facebook page, 15 Sep 2016) FURTHER EDUCATION In 2020 he started a technical and further education course [TAFE] course with a view to studying for a bachelor's degree in pharmacy. (bundabergnow.com, 07 Sep 2020)