Michael Milton OAM (b. 1973), Paralympic skier, cyclist and triathlete, is Australia's most decorated Winter Paralympian. Having begun skiing as a three-year-old, Milton developed bone cancer at the age of nine and had his left leg amputated above the knee. Inspired to continue the sport after seeing a film of a one-legged person skiing, Milton competed in five Winter Paralympic Games, the first at the age of fourteen. During his career, he won eleven Paralympic medals (six gold) and eleven World Championships medals (six gold). Following the 2002 Paralympics he took up speed skiing, and soon became the first person with a disability to ski at more than 200km per hour. He began cycling in 2006 and won a gold medal at the 2007 Australia Track Cycling Championships. After battling oesophageal cancer, he competed in cycling at the 2008 Beijing Summer Paralympics. Besides his sporting achievements, Milton is regarded as inspirational for feats such as climbing Mount Kilimanjaro and walking the Kokoda Track twice. However, he dislikes being characterised as courageous. 'The really important things in life are family, friends and having fun. None of those things has anything to do with how many legs you have,' he has said.
Dave Tacon took this photograph just after Milton was selected for the Australian Paratriathlon team to compete in 2012 World Triathlon Championships in New Zealand.
Purchased 2012
© Dave Tacon/Copyright Agency, 2024
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