Fabian Blattman
Encyclopedia
Fabian Blattman is a Paralympic competitor from New South Wales, Australia. He became disabled after a motorbike accident. He started playing disabled bowls, before switching to athletics. As a Paralympic athletics competitor, he has set several world records and won two gold medals at Paralympic Games.
, He attended Springwood High School
, leaving the school in 1975 to take up an apprenticeship. A 1978 motorcycle accident left him a paraplegic. Following the accident, he spent eighteen months in rehabilitation at the Mt Wilga Rehabilitation Centre in Hornsby, New South Wales. After rehab, Blattman moved into his parents' home in Springwood, New South Wales. The house was retrofitted with an elevator, to enable him to reach his third floor bedroom. Blattman was able to move out of his parents' home, and independently travels around the world.
and Greg Smith
. Blattman won a silver medal in the 4×100 m event and a bronze medal in the 4×400 m event at the 1992 Summer Paralympics
. In 1996, he won a gold medal in the 1500 m event, and a silver medal in the 800 m at the 1996 Summer Paralympics
. In 1998, Blattman won the Men's Marathon (T51) event at the World Championships. He won a gold medal at the 2000 Sydney Games
in the men's 400 m T51 event, a silver medal in the men's 1500 m T51 event, and a bronze medal in the men's 800 m T51 event. In 2002, Blattman came in first in the T51 Quads event at the Arrive Alive Summer Down Under Wheelchair Track and Road Racing Series 10k event, with a time of 37.52. He competed at the 2010 Optus Grand Prix in Canberra in the Men & Women 5,000 metres wheelchair event, but he did not finish.
Blattman has held several world records in athletics. He set a world record in 1995 in the 800 m event, with a time of 2:40.15. One of these was set at the 1999 Summer Down Under international, with a time of 16 min 46.95 sec for the 5000 m event. He had set a world record at the 1998 Sydney International Athletics Centre for the same event with a time of 05:01.49. Blattman set a world record with a time of 02:40.15 in the men's T51 800 event in Etobicoke, Canada on 25 June 1995. He set a World Championships record at the 1994 event in Berslon on 30 July, with a time of 02:56.33 in men's T51 800 event.
Personal
Blattman was born in 1959 in Lidcombe, New South WalesLidcombe, New South Wales
Lidcombe is a suburb in western Sydney, in the state of New South Wales Australia. Lidcombe is located 14 kilometres west of the Sydney central business district, in the local government area of Auburn Council....
, He attended Springwood High School
Springwood High School
Springwood High School is a public high school situated in the City of Blue Mountains, New South Wales. Despite its name, geographically the school is actually in Faulconbridge. The school was established in 1967. Its motto is "Press Onward."-Description:...
, leaving the school in 1975 to take up an apprenticeship. A 1978 motorcycle accident left him a paraplegic. Following the accident, he spent eighteen months in rehabilitation at the Mt Wilga Rehabilitation Centre in Hornsby, New South Wales. After rehab, Blattman moved into his parents' home in Springwood, New South Wales. The house was retrofitted with an elevator, to enable him to reach his third floor bedroom. Blattman was able to move out of his parents' home, and independently travels around the world.
Athletics
Blattman started participating in wheelchair athletics in order to improve his general fitness level. His coach is Andrew Dawe, who has worked with Paralympic gold medalists Louise SauvageLouise Sauvage
Alix Louise Sauvage OAM is an Australian paralympic wheelchair racer.Sauvage is often regarded as the most renowned disabled sportswoman in Australia. She won two gold medals and a silver medal at the 2000 Sydney Paralympic games in front of a home crowd...
and Greg Smith
Greg Smith
Gregory Smith may refer to:*Greg Smith , Australian Liberal politician; New South Wales Legislative Assembly member for Epping and Attorney-General of New South Wales...
. Blattman won a silver medal in the 4×100 m event and a bronze medal in the 4×400 m event at the 1992 Summer Paralympics
1992 Summer Paralympics
The 1992 Summer Paralympics were the ninth Paralympic Games to be held. They were held in Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain.- Sports :The games consisted of 487 events spread over fifteen sports. Powerlifting and weightlifting were considered to be a single sport...
. In 1996, he won a gold medal in the 1500 m event, and a silver medal in the 800 m at the 1996 Summer Paralympics
1996 Summer Paralympics
The 1996 Paralympic Games in Atlanta, USA were held from 16 August to 25 August. It was the first Paralympics to get mass media sponsorship, and had a budget of USD $81 million....
. In 1998, Blattman won the Men's Marathon (T51) event at the World Championships. He won a gold medal at the 2000 Sydney Games
2000 Summer Paralympics
The 2000 Paralympic Games were held in Sydney, Australia, from 18 October to 29 October. The eleventh Summer Paralympic Games, an estimated 3800 athletes took part in the Sydney programme. They commenced with the opening ceremony on 18 October 2000...
in the men's 400 m T51 event, a silver medal in the men's 1500 m T51 event, and a bronze medal in the men's 800 m T51 event. In 2002, Blattman came in first in the T51 Quads event at the Arrive Alive Summer Down Under Wheelchair Track and Road Racing Series 10k event, with a time of 37.52. He competed at the 2010 Optus Grand Prix in Canberra in the Men & Women 5,000 metres wheelchair event, but he did not finish.
Blattman has held several world records in athletics. He set a world record in 1995 in the 800 m event, with a time of 2:40.15. One of these was set at the 1999 Summer Down Under international, with a time of 16 min 46.95 sec for the 5000 m event. He had set a world record at the 1998 Sydney International Athletics Centre for the same event with a time of 05:01.49. Blattman set a world record with a time of 02:40.15 in the men's T51 800 event in Etobicoke, Canada on 25 June 1995. He set a World Championships record at the 1994 event in Berslon on 30 July, with a time of 02:56.33 in men's T51 800 event.