Paul Raison

From punching 105mm bombs up barrels in artillery, to punching out shot puts and discus for gold. Paul Raison is a Paralympic shot putter, discus thrower, sprinter and an all round tough guy. He was formerly a soldier in the Australian Army and Night Clubs Security Officer, however was forced to retire after losing his leg in a motorbike accident in 2004.

Paul says he looks like a bit of a tough guy, but has a heart of gold and is really only a big friendly giant. He has many unusual past times such as still riding motorcycles, hunting and gathering; mud crabs, periwinkles, abalone and fishing. He also enjoys making and designing specialised ankles for his rugged lifestyle and recreational activities.

Whilst running a 100m race, his prosthetic leg had a blow out and fell off – a memory he believes to be one of his funniest. Incredibly, Paul managed to do a dive roll, half twist and a back-flip and land on his good leg. However he remained with athletics and hasn’t looked back, going on with many more superb performances each time he competes.

Along with his sporting and army experience, Paul was a security guard, is a trained rescue diver, boxer and has an Advanced Diploma in Social Sciences/Community Welfare. Despite his accident, Paul has been a keen biker for years and still can’t get the passion out of his veins. He enjoys the freedom, the open highways and throaty roar of his Harley Davidson.