Kurt Fearnley

Kurt Fearnley is a world champion wheelchair athlete with a can do attitude that makes the impossible possible. His infectious energy and passion for life inspires and motivates audiences across age groups and industries.

In 2009, Kurt Fearnley claimed his fourth New York Marathon title in a row, finishing the 42.2-kilometre course in a time of one hour, 35 minutes and 58 seconds. Just two weeks before he claimed his third consecutive win in the Chicago Marathon. The wins capped off an amazing year for Kurt Fearnley with other victories in Seoul, Paris, London, and Sydney. As if that were not enough, with relentless enthusiasm and incredible drive, Kurt moved on from the marathon circuit to take up his next and most grueling challenge for the year – crawling the Kakoda Trail. He took on this last challenge for 2009 to raise awareness of mens’ health issues.
Raised in the small country town of Carcoar, Kurt Fearnley has always been determined. Being born without the lower portion of his spine has never held him back, from backyard games of football to crawling along the Great Wall of China, he always has a go.
Turning his attention to wheelchair sports in his teens, Kurt Fearnley became a world beater. He started his career with two Silver medals at the 2000 Sydney Paralympic games, before making his winning breakthrough at the Athens Paralympics with Gold in the 5000m and marathon races. Following the 2004 games, Kurt conquered the world, winning five world championships and more than 20 marathons around the globe, including 10 marathons in 2007 and three straight New York marathon titles. He solidified his standing as the Marathon Man of wheelchair sports by defending his Gold medal at the Beijing Paralympics and continues to dominate over a range of distances on both the track and road.
Kurt represents a number of organisations and is an ambassador of the Day of Difference Foundation and International Day of People with a Disability, and a board member of Australian Volunteers International. As a qualified Physical Education teacher, he travels throughout NSW teaching high-school children in small and large communities. Kurt’s exploits both in and out of sport recently saw him recognised as the 2009 New South Wales Young Australian of the Year.
A passionate inspirational speaker, Kurt shares his powerful story of motivation, determination, achievement, success and courage.