Danielle Aitchison

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Danielle Aitchison
Personal information
Born (2001-08-16) 16 August 2001 (age 20)
Morrinsville, Waikato, New Zealand
Sport
Country New Zealand
SportPara-athletics
DisabilityCerebral palsy
Disability classT36
ClubHamilton City Hawks Athletics
Medal record
Women's para-athletics
Representing  New Zealand
Summer Paralympic Games
Silver medal – second place 2020 Tokyo 200m T36
Bronze medal – third place 2020 Tokyo 100m T36
World Championships
Silver medal – second place 2019 Dubai 200m T36

Danielle Aitchison (born 16 August 2001) is a New Zealand para-athlete who is representing her country at the 2020 Summer Paralympics. She competes in the 100 metres and 200 metres in international events.[1][2][3]

Biography[]

Aitchison was born in Morrinsville in 2001 and grew up in Patetonga in the Hauraki District.[1][4] She attended Kaihere School.[5]

Aitchison was born with severe jaundice, cerebral palsy and 80-90% hearing loss. She has two uncommon types of cerebral palsy: athetoid and ataxia. She has cochlear implants in both ears.[4][5]

While growing up Aitchison participated in ballet, netball and hockey. She began competing in para-athletics at age 16 in 2017, at the Halberg Junior Disability Games in Auckland, New Zealand.[4] She has competed in long jump and won a national title in the event.[5]

In 2019 she represented New Zealand internationally for the first time at the 2019 World Para Athletics Championships in Dubai, United Arab Emirates.[4] She finished fourth in the 100m event and won silver in the 200m event with an Oceania record time (29.86sec).[5]

Competing at the 2020 Summer Paralympics in the women's 200 metres T36, Aitchison finished fastest in her heat. In the final, Aitchison won silver with a time of 29.88.[6][7] She also won bronze in the women's 100 metres T36.[8]

References[]

  1. ^ a b "Health challenges prove no barrier for Waikato teen Danielle Aitchison". stuff.co.nz. 5 February 2018.
  2. ^ "Danielle Aitchison - Athletics New Zealand". Athletics New Zealand. 9 March 2020.
  3. ^ "Teenage Dreams". Athletics New Zealand. 6 June 2019.
  4. ^ a b c d "Danielle Aitchison - Athletics | Paralympic Athlete Profile". International Paralympic Committee. Retrieved 2021-08-29.
  5. ^ a b c d "Tokyo Paralympics: After struggling to walk, NZ sprinter Danielle Aitchison goes for gold". Stuff. 2021-08-21. Retrieved 2021-08-29.
  6. ^ "Tokyo Paralympics 2020: Kiwi sprinter Danielle Aitchison claims silver in T36 200m final". Retrieved 29 August 2021.
  7. ^ "Sprinter Danielle Aitchison gunning for medal in Tokyo". TVNZ. Retrieved 2021-08-29.
  8. ^ "Tokyo Paralympics: Danielle Aitchison wins second medal, bronze in women's 100m final". Stuff. 2021-09-01. Retrieved 2021-09-01.
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