Wheelchair rugby superstar Josh Hose became a quadriplegic in a car accident on Australia Day in 2005, when the driver of the car he was in lost control of the wheel, leaving him with serious spinal cord damage, swelling on the brain and two collapsed lungs.
Following two weeks in an induced coma and a six-hour operation to realign his spine, Josh began his rehabilitation, during which time he was introduced to wheelchair rugby through watching the Victorian state team train.
Using the sport to aid his recovery process, it wasn’t long before Josh carved out a name for himself on the court, just missing selection for the Beijing 2008 Paralympic Games.
Determined to compete four years later in London, Josh represented Australia at the 2010 IWRF World Championship in Vancouver, Canada, and the Canada Cup in Montreal later that year.
Making his Paralympic debut at London 2012, Josh helped the Steelers to defeat rivals Canada 51-66 in the gold medal match to win Australia’s first ever wheelchair rugby gold medal at a Paralympic Games.
Off the back of their success in London, the Steelers became the first team in wheelchair rugby history to win consecutive Paralympic gold medals and a World Championship title in a four-year period, defeating the USA 59-58 in a double-overtime thriller at Rio 2016.
At the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games, the Steelers’ nine-year reign as Paralympic champions came to an end when the team finished fourth after being defeated by Japan 52–60 in the bronze medal game. It was the first time in 17 years that the team didn’t win a medal.
When he’s not training or competing, Josh is an accomplished motivational speaker, delivering messages to businesses, schools and community groups about road safety, setting goals, and overcoming barriers to success.
In his spare time, he enjoys watching Family Guy and the NBA, naming basketballers Kobe Bryant and Kevin Durant among his all-time favourite sporting icons.
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