Daniel
Fitzgibbon

For Queensland-born Paralympian Daniel Fitzgibbon, who now lives in Sydney’s Northern Beaches, Para-sailing was a natural choice.

After realising his dream of winning a Paralympic medal at the Beijing 2008 Paralympic Games, Daniel set his eyes on a new goal – Paralympic gold. To do this, he needed a winning partnership, and found it in wheelchair basketball player Liesl Tesch.

Following the 2008 Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race, in which Liesl starred, Daniel contacted her about a potential move to Para-sailing. They began training together in 2011 and found success soon after, winning gold in the two-person keelboat (SKUD18) at the London 2012 Paralympic Games, for which they were named Paralympics Australia’s Team of the Year alongside the Australian wheelchair rugby team, the Steelers.

Two world titles followed, and Daniel and Liesl steeled themselves for a dogfight to defend their Paralympic crown at the Rio 2016 Paralympic Games. There was no need though – placing first in eight of their 11 races and second in three, they become the first team in history to win back-to-back Paralympic gold medals in the two-person keelboat (SKUD18).

With three medals from three Paralympic Games, Daniel is the most successful Paralympic sailor Australia has ever produced, and with Para-sailing off the Paralympic program for the next two campaigns, the title is his for another five years at least.