Sam Tait

Sam Tait (born 11 April 1991)[1] is an Australian Paralympic alpine skier who represented Australia at the 2018 Winter Paralympics in Pyeongchang, Korea

Sam Tait
Personal information
Nationality Australia
Born (1991-04-11) 11 April 1991
Sport
CountryAustralia
SportPara-alpine skiing
Disability classLW11
Event(s)Super-G
Giant slalom
Slalom
Achievements and titles
Paralympic finals2018 Winter Paralympics

Personal

Tait was born on 11 April 1991. On 27 April 2013, he had a motorcycle accident Wollongong, New South Wales resulted in him breaking his T11 vertebra and becoming a paraplegic.[2] Tait attended Chevalier College with his twin brother James.[3] He has completed a two-year course in computer-aided design detailing at TAFE. In 2018, he lives in Mittagong, New South Wales.[4]

Skiing

Prior to his accident, Tait was an able-bodied skier. His parents own Corroboree Ski Lodge at Perisher Ski Resort.[1] In 2014, he took up sit- skiing and became a member of the Australian Para-alpine skiing development squad.[1] Tait made his debut for Australia in Landgraaf, the Netherlands in late 2016. At the 2017 IPC Alpine Skiing Europa Cup in Veysonnaz, Switzerland, he finished fourth in the men’s Super-G.[1] He is coached by Chris McKnight.[1]

In 2017, Australian National University engineering students undertook a project to design and manufacture a lower leg protective enclosure for him to use while sit skiing.[5]

At the 2018 Winter Paralympics, he competed in five events - 11th in the Men's Downhill Sitting, 17th in the Men's Giant Slalom Sitting and did not finish in three events.[6]

At the 2019 World Para Alpine Skiing Championships in Kranjska Gora, Slovenia, he finished sixth in the Men's Downhill Sitting and tenth in the Men's Giant Slalom Sitting.[7]

References
  1. "Sam Tait". Australian Paralympic Committee website. Retrieved 20 February 2018.
  2. "Paralympics dream on Sam Tait's radar". Illawarra Mercury. 6 February 2015. Retrieved 20 February 2018.
  3. "The Story of Sam Tait". Shield and Heart website. Retrieved 20 February 2018.
  4. Bennett, Emily (19 February 2018). "Slopes to success". Southern Highland News. Retrieved 20 February 2018.
  5. "TechLauncher enables ANU Engineering Students to Support Paralympic Dream". ANU College of Engineering & Computer Science website. Retrieved 20 February 2018.
  6. "Sam Tait". 2018 Winter Paralympics Official site. Retrieved 18 March 2018.
  7. "Sam Tait Results 2019 World Para Skking World Championships". International Paralympic Committee. Retrieved 10 February 2019.
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