Amanda Fraser
Encyclopedia
Amanda Fraser is a paralympic athlete from Australia. She has cerebral palsy
and competes in the F37 category for the physically impaired. Competing in the 2000, 2004, and 2008 Summer Paralympics, she won two silver and two bronze medals, and in the 2006 World Championships
, she won a gold and a silver medal. In the 2006 championships, she set a world record for discus in her classification, and was named 2006 Telstra Female AWD Athlete of the Year by Athletics Australia
.
where one side of the body is affected. At the age of 12, she competed in the Queensland School Sports Athletics Championships and won three gold medals. She later moved on to swimming, and was selected to complete in the 2000 Summer Paralympics
in Sydney, where she won bronze medals in the 4×100 m Freestyle 34-point relay and the S7 50 m Freestyle.
In 2001, she returned to athletics, and qualified for the 2004 Summer Paralympics
with a world-record discus throw of 27.95 m at the national championships. At the Paralympics, she competed in the 100 m, shot-put, and discus events, winning a silver medal in the F37 discus classification, Australia's first medal in athletics at the event.
She competed in the 2006 International Paralympic Committee World Championships
, where she broke the F37 discus world record with a throw of 29.93 metres, winning the gold medal at the event. Following this achievement, she was named the 2006 Telstra Female Athlete with a Disability of the Year by Athletics Australia.
At the 2008 Paralympic Games
in Beijing, Fraser was initially awarded the bronze medal for the discus in the combined F37-38 event; however, she was given the silver medal when British athlete Rebecca Chin was disqualified on the basis that technically she is an amputee and was therefore ineligible to compete in the cerebral palsy category. It was initially reported by ABC News
that Fraser refused to shake Chin's hand after the event, however this was later corrected by The Australian
when it was found that it was not Fraser who refused to shake hands, but British athlete Beverly Jones.
Cerebral palsy
Cerebral palsy is an umbrella term encompassing a group of non-progressive, non-contagious motor conditions that cause physical disability in human development, chiefly in the various areas of body movement....
and competes in the F37 category for the physically impaired. Competing in the 2000, 2004, and 2008 Summer Paralympics, she won two silver and two bronze medals, and in the 2006 World Championships
IPC Athletics World Championships
The IPC Athletics World Championships is an event organized by the International Paralympic Committee . Athletes with a physical disability compete, and in a few events athletes with an intellectual disability compete...
, she won a gold and a silver medal. In the 2006 championships, she set a world record for discus in her classification, and was named 2006 Telstra Female AWD Athlete of the Year by Athletics Australia
Athletics Australia
Athletics Australia is the National Sporting Organisation recognised by the Australian Sports Commission for the sport of athletics in Australia....
.
Career
Fraser was born with spastic hemiplegia, a form of cerebral palsyCerebral palsy
Cerebral palsy is an umbrella term encompassing a group of non-progressive, non-contagious motor conditions that cause physical disability in human development, chiefly in the various areas of body movement....
where one side of the body is affected. At the age of 12, she competed in the Queensland School Sports Athletics Championships and won three gold medals. She later moved on to swimming, and was selected to complete in the 2000 Summer Paralympics
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 Sydney, where she won bronze medals in the 4×100 m Freestyle 34-point relay and the S7 50 m Freestyle.
In 2001, she returned to athletics, and qualified for the 2004 Summer Paralympics
2004 Summer Paralympics
The 2004 Summer Paralympics were held in Athens, Greece, from September 17 to September 28. The twelfth Paralympic Games, an estimated 4,000 athletes took part in the Athens programme, with ages ranging from 11 to 66. Paralympic events had already taken place during the 2004 Summer Olympics as...
with a world-record discus throw of 27.95 m at the national championships. At the Paralympics, she competed in the 100 m, shot-put, and discus events, winning a silver medal in the F37 discus classification, Australia's first medal in athletics at the event.
She competed in the 2006 International Paralympic Committee World Championships
IPC Athletics World Championships
The IPC Athletics World Championships is an event organized by the International Paralympic Committee . Athletes with a physical disability compete, and in a few events athletes with an intellectual disability compete...
, where she broke the F37 discus world record with a throw of 29.93 metres, winning the gold medal at the event. Following this achievement, she was named the 2006 Telstra Female Athlete with a Disability of the Year by Athletics Australia.
At the 2008 Paralympic Games
2008 Summer Paralympics
The 2008 Summer Paralympic Games, the thirteenth Paralympics, took place in Beijing, China from September 6 to September 17, 2008. As with the 2008 Summer Olympics, equestrian events were held in Hong Kong and sailing events in Qingdao....
in Beijing, Fraser was initially awarded the bronze medal for the discus in the combined F37-38 event; however, she was given the silver medal when British athlete Rebecca Chin was disqualified on the basis that technically she is an amputee and was therefore ineligible to compete in the cerebral palsy category. It was initially reported by ABC News
ABC News (Australia)
ABC News is a national news service produced by the News and Current Affairs division of the Australian Broadcasting Corporation - the division is responsible for all newsgathering and production of news output for ABC television, radio and online services...
that Fraser refused to shake Chin's hand after the event, however this was later corrected by The Australian
The Australian
The Australian is a broadsheet newspaper published in Australia from Monday to Saturday each week since 14 July 1964. The editor in chief is Chris Mitchell, the editor is Clive Mathieson and the 'editor-at-large' is Paul Kelly....
when it was found that it was not Fraser who refused to shake hands, but British athlete Beverly Jones.