Danielle Aitchison
Personal information | |
---|---|
Born | Morrinsville, New Zealand | 16 August 2001
Sport | |
Country | File:Flag of New Zealand.svg New Zealand |
Sport | Para-athletics |
Disability | Cerebral palsy |
Disability class | T36 |
Club | Hamilton City Hawks Athletics |
Medal record |
Danielle Aitchison (born 16 August 2001) is a New Zealand para-athlete. She competes in the 100 metres and 200 metres in international events.[1][2][3] She won a gold medal with a new Oceania record in the women’s 200-metre T36 at the 2023 World Para Athletics Championships in Paris, France in July 2023.[4][5]
Personal life
Aitchison was born in Morrinsville in 2001 and grew up in Patetonga in the Hauraki District.[1][6] She attended Kaihere School.[7] She was born with severe jaundice, cerebral palsy and 80-90% hearing loss. She has two uncommon types of cerebral palsy: athetoid and ataxia. She has cochlear implants in both ears.[6][7] While growing up Aitchison participated in ballet, netball and hockey.
Career
Aitchison began competing in para-athletics at age 16 in 2017, at the Halberg Junior Disability Games in Auckland, New Zealand.[6] She has competed in long jump and won a national title in the event.[7] In 2019 she represented New Zealand internationally for the first time at the 2019 World Para Athletics Championships in Dubai, United Arab Emirates.[6] She finished fourth in the 100m event and won silver in the 200m event with an Oceania record time (29.86sec).[7] Competing at the 2020 Summer Paralympics in the women's 200 metres T36, Aitchison finished fastest in her heat. In the final, Aitchison won silver with a time of 29.88.[8][9] She also won bronze in the women's 100 metres T36.[10]
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 "Health challenges prove no barrier for Waikato teen Danielle Aitchison". stuff.co.nz. 5 February 2018. Archived from the original on 5 October 2018.
- ↑ "Danielle Aitchison - Athletics New Zealand". Athletics New Zealand. 9 March 2020. Archived from the original on 19 December 2019.
- ↑ "Teenage Dreams". Athletics New Zealand. 6 June 2019. Archived from the original on 22 June 2019.
- ↑ "Aitchison sprints to world para athletics gold". NZ Herald. 7 February 2024. Retrieved 7 February 2024.
- ↑ Landells, Steve (15 July 2023). "Aitchison blitzes to epic 200m gold medal success". Athletics New Zealand. Retrieved 7 February 2024.
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 6.3 "Danielle Aitchison - Athletics | Paralympic Athlete Profile". International Paralympic Committee. Retrieved 29 August 2021.
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 7.3 "Tokyo Paralympics: After struggling to walk, NZ sprinter Danielle Aitchison goes for gold". Stuff. 21 August 2021. Retrieved 29 August 2021.
- ↑ "Tokyo Paralympics 2020: Kiwi sprinter Danielle Aitchison claims silver in T36 200m final". Retrieved 29 August 2021.
- ↑ "Sprinter Danielle Aitchison gunning for medal in Tokyo". TVNZ. Retrieved 29 August 2021.
- ↑ "Tokyo Paralympics: Danielle Aitchison wins second medal, bronze in women's 100m final". Stuff. 1 September 2021. Retrieved 1 September 2021.
External links
- Danielle Aitchison at Athletics New Zealand
- Danielle Aitchison at Paralympics New Zealand
- {{IPC athlete}} template missing ID and not present in Wikidata.
- 2001 births
- Living people
- People from Morrinsville
- New Zealand female sprinters
- Paralympic athletes for New Zealand
- Paralympic medalists in athletics (track and field)
- Paralympic silver medalists for New Zealand
- Paralympic bronze medalists for New Zealand
- Athletes (track and field) at the 2020 Summer Paralympics
- Athletes (track and field) at the 2024 Summer Paralympics
- Medalists at the 2020 Summer Paralympics
- Medalists at the 2024 Summer Paralympics
- Medalists at the World Para Athletics Championships
- World Para Athletics Championships winners
- Sportspeople from Waikato
- 21st-century New Zealand sportswomen