 2016 Australian Paralympic team portrait | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Personal information | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Nationality | Australian | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Born | 4 April 1986 Ipswich, Queensland | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Sport | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Sport | Paracanoe | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Disability class | KL2 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Medal record
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Susan Seipel (born 4 April 1986) is an Australian Para-canoeist, a gold and bronze medallist in kayak and outrigger canoe at the 2015 and 2016 World Championships. She won a bronze medal at the 2016 Rio Paralympics and a silver medal at the 2020 Summer Paralympics. [1] [2]
Seipel, a Bellbowrie resident of Queensland, was born with Arthrogryposis Multiplex, a rare disorder characterised by fusion of joints and absent muscle formation in her legs. [3] Born in Ipswich, Queensland she attended St Peter Claver College. [4] In 2003, she completed Information Technology certificates and in 2004, a TAFE course in horse management. In 2008, she completed a Diploma of Applied Science, Equine Studies Major at the University of Queensland. [5] [6] She has undertaken a course in Professional Leadership at La Trobe University. [7] Seipel was awarded a Full Sporting Blue at Griffith University whilst undertaking a Bachelor of Psychology (Hons). [8]
She is a volunteer and ambassador for the RSPCA at Wacol, Queensland. [4] [9]
Seipel's sporting career began at the age of four as part of her physiotherapy program. [5] She learned to swim at the Bellbowrie Club and competed against her able-bodied classmates at Our lady of the Rosary Primary School, Kenmore. [10] She held six Queensland State records between the age of 13-15 and three Australian National Age records in freestyle and backstroke. [11]
At the age of seven, Seipel's sporting passion began to change after learning to ride horses at the McIntyre Riding Centre for the Disabled in the western suburbs of Brisbane. Seipel said: "We used to go past the Centre on the way to my school and I always saw the horses. I really loved animals and wanted to have a go there. My parents thought it would be good therapy and took me along." [12] [13] In 1998, she competed for the first time at the National Riding for Disabled (RDA) Dressage Championships, where she gained first place in her warm- up test against international riders. [12] After competing at these Championships for nine successive years, Seipel made her International debut at the FEI Pacific Rim Para-equestrian Dressage International, held at Milner Downs Equestrian Centre in Langley, Canada. [6] It was here she gave her best performance winning a bronze medal and qualified for the 2008 Summer Paralympics Beijing, China, but was not selected in the team to represent Australia. [14]
Summary of equestrian achievements:
[15]
In leaving Equestrian, Seipel said: "I did Equestrian for 18 years, competing at National and International level. I decided to take a break because it's quite an expensive sport". [4]
In 2012, Seipel attended a Para-canoe 'come and try day'. She was encouraged to take up Para-canoeing by Australian Olympian Amanda Rankin. [16] and in 2013 joined the Brisbane Canoeing Club. [14] Seipel is classified a KL2 and competed at the 2014 ICF Canoe Sprint World Championships in Moscow where she finished sixth in the Women's KL2 (formerly TA) K1 200m. [9]
Determined to pursue her competitive spirit, Seipel mastered the kayak (K1) and outrigger (V1) canoes winning in both boats at domestic trials. [10] At the 2015 ICF Canoe Sprint World Championships in Milan Italy, she won the gold medal in the Women's V–1 200 m VL2 and bronze medal in the Women's K–1 200 m KL2, a 2016 Rio Paralympics event.
Following her success, and with the support of Australian Canoeing, Seipel decided to move from Brisbane to the Gold Coast Queensland, where she could train full-time with the national coach Andrea King and access the AIS training facilities at Varsity Lakes. [10]
At the 2016 ICF Para-canoe World Championships, Duisburg, Germany, she won the gold medal in the Women's 200 m Vl2 and bronze medal in the Women's 200 m KL2, a Paralympic Games event. [17] [18]
Seipel won the bronze medal in the 200 m KL2 when paracanoe made its debut at the Rio Paralympics. [2]
At the 2017 ICF Canoe Sprint World Championships, Račice, Czech Republic, she won the gold medal in Women's VL2 200m and finished fourth in the Women's KL2 200m. [19] At the 2018 ICF Canoe Sprint World Championships, Montemor-o-Velho, Portugal, she finished sixth in the Women's KL2 200m and fourth in the Women's VL2 200m.
At the 2019 ICF Canoe Sprint World Championships, Szeged, Hungary, she won the silver medal in the Women's VL2 200m and bronze medal in the Women's KL2 200m. [20]
At the 2020 Summer Paralympics. Seipel won a silver medal in the Women's VL2 200m with a time of 1:01.481, over 4 seconds longer than the eventual winner Emma Wiggs of Great Britain. Seipel also competed in the Women's KL2 200m and came seventh. [21]
Seipel finished fifth in both the Women's KL2 200m and VL2 200m at the 2022 ICF Canoe Sprint World Championships.
She has been selected to compete at the 2024 Summer Paralympics in Paris, France. [22] In the lead up to the Paralympics, Seipel bronze medal at the 2024 ICF World Para Canoe Championships in Szeged, Hungary. [23]
In 2021, she was awarded Paddle Australia's Paracanoeist of the Year. [24]
Seipel trains with the Brisbane Canoeing Club. [9]
Henry Manni is a Finnish athlete and paracanoeist who has competed and medaled in both fields at World Championship level. In Paracanoeing he won a bronze medal in the K-1 200 m TA event at the 2010 ICF Canoe Sprint World Championships in Poznań. Manni later switched to athletics as a wheelchair sprinter in the T34 classification. In 2013 he won a bronze in the World Championships in the 200m event, following this with four golds in the 2014 European Championships and three further World championship medals in 2015.
David John Rolfe was a leg amputee Paralympic swimming and paracanoe competitor from Australia. He won a bronze medal at the 2000 Sydney Games in the Men's 4 × 100 m Medley 34 pts swimming event. He also competed in paracanoe world championship events.
Paracanoe classification is the classification system for paracanoe. It consists of three categories KL1, KL2 and KL3. Paracanoe will be included for the first time at the 2016 Rio Paralympics. The sport is governed by the International Canoe Federation.
Charlotte Sarah Henshaw is a British Paralympic full-time athlete across multiple disciplines. Originally a swimmer, she changed to canoeing from 2017, becoming the reigning World champion in the KL2 (five-time) and VL3 (three-time) 200m events. In September 2021, at the delayed 2020 Summer Paralympics in Tokyo, she became a Paralympic champion at her fourth games, winning the Women's KL2 event.
Paracanoe debuted at the 2016 Summer Paralympics in Rio de Janeiro. A meeting of the International Paralympic Committee in Guangzhou, China in 2010 decided to add paracanoe to the roster of the Summer Paralympic Games.
Curtis Wain McGrath, is an Australian paracanoeist and former soldier. He took up canoeing competitively after both of his legs were amputated as a result of a mine blast while serving with the Australian Army in Afghanistan. McGrath won consecutive gold medals in the Men's KL2 at the 2016 Rio and 2020 Tokyo Paralympics, and has won ten gold medals and a silver at ICF Paracanoe World Championships between 2014 and 2019.
Amanda Jane "AJ" Jennings is an Australian paracanoeist who has won two gold medals at the ICF Canoe Sprint World Championships. She won a silver medal in the Women's 200m KL3 at the 2016 Rio Paralympics.
Paracanoe is canoeing for athletes with a range of physical disabilities. The Paralympic version of the sport is governed by the International Canoe Federation (ICF), and a va'a-specific variant is governed by the International Va'a Federation (IVF).
South Africa entered 45 athletes in the 2016 Summer Paralympics in Rio de Janeiro from 7–18 September 2016. The country qualified athletes in archery, athletics, canoeing, cycling, equestrian, powerlifting, rowing, swimming, shooting and wheelchair tennis.
Ukraine competed at the 2016 Summer Paralympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, from 7 September to 18 September 2016.
Emma Clare Wiggs, is a British paracanoeist and former sitting volleyball player, who competes in the KL2 classification of paracanoe. She won gold at the 2016 Summer Paralympics in the KL2 category, gold and silver at the 2020 Summer Paralympics in VL2 and KL2 categories, and is also an eleven-time world champion. As a volleyball player she was part of the Great Britain team that competed at the 2012 Summer Paralympics.
The KL 2 class is for paracanoe paddlers with partial leg and trunk function alongside good arm strength. A KL2 class paddler should be able to sit upright within the kayak but may require a backrest. These athletes may be able to use a footboard to propel the canoe depending on leg function. Eligible paddlers typically meet one of the following:
Dylan Littlehales is an Australian paracanoeist. He competed for Australia at the 2016 Rio Paralympics and 2020 Tokyo Paralympics.
The 2017 ICF Canoe Sprint World Championships, the 43rd edition of the World Championships, were held in Račice, Czech Republic, from 23 to 27 August 2017.
The 2016 ICF Paracanoe World Championships was held in Duisburg, Germany, from 17 to 19 May 2016. This event, which is usually part of the ICF Canoe Sprint World Championships, was held separately as the latter is not held in Olympic years. It shared the venue with, and was held concurrently with the 2016 European Canoe Sprint Olympic Qualifier tournament.
The 2018 ICF Canoe Sprint World Championships, the 44th edition of the World Championships, were held in Montemor-o-Velho, Portugal, from 22 to 26 August 2018.
The 2019 ICF Canoe Sprint World Championships, the 45th edition of the World Championships, were held in Szeged, Hungary from 21 to 25 August 2019.
The 2019 Paracanoe European Championships was held in Poznań, Poland, from 21 to 22 May 2019. This event, which is usually part of the Canoe Sprint European Championships, was held separately as the ECA chose not to organise said event because of the European Games.
Scott Martlew is a New Zealand Para canoeist from Christchurch, New Zealand, who represented his country at the 2016 and 2020 Summer Paralympics.
Prachi Yadav is an Indian Paracanoe Athlete who participated in 2020 Tokyo Paralympics. Yadav won the bronze medal in the 2022 Paralympic World Cup.
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