Richard Coleman

Born with spina bifida, Richard Coleman has always wanted to do the very best in everything he sets out to achieve.

The Geelong athlete who specialises in track events, represented Australia at the 2002 World Championships in France, where he competed in no less than the 100m, 200m, 400m, 800m and 4×400m, an outstanding effort for his first international competition.

In 2004 at the Athens Games, Richard took home the gold medal for Australia in the T53 800m as well as breaking the Paralympic record and rising to the number one ranking in the world.

Passionate about all sports including AFL, basketball and swimming, Richard is the first wheelchair AFL goal umpire in the Geelong League and is described by friends as strong willed and positive in anything he undertakes.

Citing his coach Mandy Cole as the most influential person in his career, the OAM recipient has his sights set firmly on Beijing to defend his title.