Travis Gaertner

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Travis Gaertner
Personal information
Nationality Canada  United States
Born (1980-01-16) January 16, 1980 (age 42)
Kitchener, Ontario, Canada
Education2003, University of Illinois at Urbana–Champaign
Websitegaertnergold.com
Medal record
Summer Paralympics
Wheelchair basketball
Gold medal – first place 2000 Summer Paralympics Wheelchair basketball
Gold medal – first place 2004 Summer Paralympics Wheelchair basketball

Travis Gaertner (born January 16, 1980) is a Canadian-American actuary. He previously competed with Team Canada in the Paralympic Games in wheelchair basketball, where he won a gold medal at the 2000 Summer Paralympics and the 2004 Summer Paralympics.

Early life and education[]

Gaertner was born on January 16, 1980 in Kitchener, Ontario, Canada to parents Diana and Jonathan.[1] He was born with a congenital disease causing him to be born without a left and half a right leg.[2] Until he was in fifth grade, Gaertner used a prosthetic leg but eventually switched to a wheelchair for better mobility.[3] When Gaertner was twelve years old, Jonathan died of cancer and he decided to take up wheelchair basketball.[4] By Grade 6, he qualified for the Manitoba Ramblers of the Manitoba Wheelchair Sports Association, and later joined the Manitoba senior wheelchair team. His play caught the attention of a Canadian coach who invited him to try out for the Canadian Paralympic team.[3]

Career[]

Gaertner joined Team Canada in 1998 and was selected to play for Canada at the 2000 Summer Paralympics.[5] After returning to the University of Illinois at Urbana–Champaign with a gold medal,[6] he helped the win their first championship title.[7] In 2002, he was one of four students who received the Wooddy Scholarship Award as someone who earned both academic and athletic acclaim.[8]

Later, he helped the Winnipeg Thunder win their third consecutive Canadian Wheelchair Basketball League championship title.[9] In 2004, Gaertner was named to Team Canada to compete at the 2004 Summer Paralympics[10] where he won gold.[11]

Gaertner earned his American citizenship in 2012 and qualified to compete with Team USA.[12] In May 2017, Gaertner began practicing handcycling under the coaching of Will Groulx and Tom Davis.[13] In 2018, he was named to the U.S. Paralympics Cycling Team for the 2018 UCI Road World Championships.[14]

References[]

  1. ^ "TRAVIS GAERTNER". teamusa.org. Retrieved January 8, 2020.
  2. ^ "Travis burns up summer streets aboard specially-built bicycle". Winnipeg Free Press. Winnipeg. March 15, 1986.icon of an open green padlock
  3. ^ a b "Miles Macdonnell student aims for Sydney wheelchair basketball tourney". Winnipeg Free Press. Winnipeg. February 12, 1997.icon of an open green padlock
  4. ^ "He has no legs, but it's hard to feel sorry for him". Winnipeg Free Press. Winnipeg. June 2, 2000.icon of an open green padlock
  5. ^ "Michelle Stilwell, Travis Gaertner, Joe Johnson". Winnipeg Free Press. Winnipeg. September 13, 2000.icon of an open green padlock
  6. ^ "After Sydney: tracking down our Olympians". Winnipeg Free Press. Winnipeg. January 3, 2001.icon of an open green padlock
  7. ^ "Wheelchair athletes capture Canadian title". Winnipeg Free Press. Winnipeg. April 24, 2001.icon of an open green padlock
  8. ^ "Wooddy Scholarship Award" (PDF). math.illinois.edu/. Fall 2002. Retrieved January 8, 2020.
  9. ^ "Pair perform magic for Thunder". Winnipeg Free Press. Winnipeg. April 23, 2003.icon of an open green padlock
  10. ^ "CANADIAN WHEELCHAIR BASKETBALL TEAMS SELECTED FOR ATHENS" (PDF). bcwbs.ca. Summer 2004. Retrieved January 8, 2020.
  11. ^ "ATHENS 2004". cscm.ca. April 10, 2016. Retrieved January 8, 2020.
  12. ^ Murphy, Dan (January 7, 2019). "Travis Gaertner's Quest for More Paralympic Gold". scifit.com. Retrieved January 8, 2020.
  13. ^ Lieberman, Stuart (August 25, 2018). "Travis Gaertner Goes From Canadian Wheelchair Basketball Champion To American Para-cycling Hopeful". teamusa.org. Retrieved January 8, 2020.
  14. ^ "U.S. Paralympics Cycling Announced 2018 Road World Championships Team to Include Local Burien Washington Handcyclist". prweb.com. July 19, 2018. Retrieved January 8, 2020.

External links[]

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