Jonty O'Callaghan | |
Nicknames: | Jontos |
Headercolor: | green |
Textcolor: | yellow |
Nationality: | Australian |
Birth Date: | 28 March 1997 |
Birth Place: | London, England |
Country: | Australia |
Sport: | Para-alpine skiing |
Event: | Downhill Super-G Giant slalom slalom Super combined |
Disability Class: | LW9-1 |
Paralympics: | 2018 Winter Paralympics |
Jonty O'Callaghan (born 28 March 1997)[1] is an Australian para-alpine skier who competes in downhill racing.[2] He represented Australia at the 2018 Winter Paralympics and was selected for 2022 Winter Paralympics but withdrew from the team due to a serious training accident on 17 February 2022 that led to concussion and a broken collarbone.[3] [4] [5]
O'Callaghan was born in London, England, with right side cerebral palsy hemiplegia.[1] [6] O'Callaghan underwent 10 hours of physiotherapy, occupational therapy and speech therapy a week over 15 years at the Royal Children's Hospital.[7] He attended Xavier College.[8] In 2016, he was awarded University of Melbourne Elite Athlete Program (EAP) sporting scholarship whilst studying for a Bachelor of Arts.[9]
O'Callaghan is also a descendant of Robert Hoddle, the surveyor who devised Melbourne's famed inner-city grid system.[10]
O'Callaghan started skiing at age nine while on holiday with his family in Europe.[6] He is classified as LW9-1.[6] At the 2017 IPC Alpine Skiing World Championships in Tarvisio, Italy, he finished 18th in giant slalom standing and did not finish in the slalom standing.[6]
At the 2018 Winter Paralympics, O'Callaghan competed in five events and his best results were 22nd in the men's downhill standing and 23rd in the men's giant slalom standing.[11]
At the 2021 World Para Snow Sports Championships in Lillehammer, O'Callaghan finished 40th in the super-G standing.[12]
O'Callaghan trains at Mount Buller, Victoria, and is coached by Christian Geiger.[1] In 2018, he is a Victorian Institute of Sport scholarship athlete.