Alex Harris
Encyclopedia
Alex James Harris was an Australia
n Paralympic
swimmer
, who represented Australia at the 2000 Summer Paralympics
in Sydney
and the 2004 Summer Paralympics
in Athens
.
Harris was born in Geelong, Victoria
, and attended Western Heights College
where he was a champion sportsman and school captain
. In 1993, aged 18, he was involved in a traffic collision at Breamlea
when the car in which Harris and several friends were travelling was struck by another vehicle. One of the car's occupants was killed, and Harris was pulled from the car by a volunteer firefighter who heard the crash. He was airlifted to The Alfred Hospital
in Melbourne, and was not expected to live. The accident left him with a closed head injury
to his brain. Whilst undergoing physical therapy
to enable him to walk again, Harris discovered that he could still swim very well.
Harris was selected to represent Australia
in swimming at the 2000 Summer Paralympics
in Sydney
. He won a silver medal in the 50 m freestyle S7 and bronze in the 50 m. He competed in the 2002 Commonwealth Games
in Manchester
, coming 6th and 10th in the 50 m and 100 m freestyle MD events respectively. At the 2004 Summer Paralympics
in Athens
, Harris won a gold medal in the 4×100 m medley relay, and a silver in the 4×100 m freestyle relay.
Harris was due to undergo deep brain stimulation
surgery in October 2009, which would have involved insertion of electrodes into his brain to calm his uncontrollable movements. On 27 October 2009, days before the operation was scheduled, Harris took his own life and was struck by a train on a level crossing at Lara, Victoria
.
Alex Harris was a member of the Australian swimming community known for both his swimming achievements and for his efforts outside the pool, inspiring and motivating other swimmers.
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
n Paralympic
Paralympic Games
The Paralympic Games are a major international multi-sport event where athletes with a physical disability compete; this includes athletes with mobility disabilities, amputations, blindness, and Cerebral Palsy. There are Winter and Summer Paralympic Games, which are held immediately following their...
swimmer
Swimming (sport)
Swimming is a sport governed by the Fédération Internationale de Natation .-History: Competitive swimming in Europe began around 1800 BCE, mostly in the form of the freestyle. In 1873 Steve Bowyer introduced the trudgen to Western swimming competitions, after copying the front crawl used by Native...
, who represented Australia at the 2000 Summer Paralympics
2000 Summer Paralympics
The 2000 Paralympic Games were held in Sydney, Australia, from 18 October to 29 October. The eleventh Summer Paralympic Games, an estimated 3800 athletes took part in the Sydney programme. They commenced with the opening ceremony on 18 October 2000...
in Sydney
Sydney
Sydney is the most populous city in Australia and the state capital of New South Wales. Sydney is located on Australia's south-east coast of the Tasman Sea. As of June 2010, the greater metropolitan area had an approximate population of 4.6 million people...
and the 2004 Summer Paralympics
2004 Summer Paralympics
The 2004 Summer Paralympics were held in Athens, Greece, from September 17 to September 28. The twelfth Paralympic Games, an estimated 4,000 athletes took part in the Athens programme, with ages ranging from 11 to 66. Paralympic events had already taken place during the 2004 Summer Olympics as...
in Athens
Athens
Athens , is the capital and largest city of Greece. Athens dominates the Attica region and is one of the world's oldest cities, as its recorded history spans around 3,400 years. Classical Athens was a powerful city-state...
.
Harris was born in Geelong, Victoria
Geelong, Victoria
Geelong is a port city located on Corio Bay and the Barwon River, in the state of Victoria, Australia, south-west of the state capital; Melbourne. It is the second most populated city in Victoria and the fifth most populated non-capital city in Australia...
, and attended Western Heights College
Western Heights College
Western Heights College is a co-educational secondary school in Geelong, Australia. It currently has two campuses, Junior Years Campus for years 7, 8 and 9 and Senior Years Campus for years 10, 11 and 12, located in the suburbs of Herne Hill, Hamlyn Heights respectively...
where he was a champion sportsman and school captain
School Captain
School Captain is a student appointed or elected to represent the school.This student, usually in the senior year, in their final year of attending that school...
. In 1993, aged 18, he was involved in a traffic collision at Breamlea
Breamlea, Victoria
Breamlea, Victoria, Australia, is a secluded seaside hamlet located 28 km south of Geelong on the south coast of Australia halfway between Barwon Heads and Torquay on the Bellarine Peninsula. At the 2006 census, Breamlea and the surrounding area had a population of 244.-Geography:Breamlea is...
when the car in which Harris and several friends were travelling was struck by another vehicle. One of the car's occupants was killed, and Harris was pulled from the car by a volunteer firefighter who heard the crash. He was airlifted to The Alfred Hospital
The Alfred Hospital
The Alfred, also known as Alfred Hospital or The Alfred Hospital, is a major hospital in Melbourne, Victoria. It is the second oldest hospital in Victoria, and the oldest Melbourne hospital still operating on its original site...
in Melbourne, and was not expected to live. The accident left him with a closed head injury
Closed head injury
Closed head injuries are a type of Traumatic Brain Injury in which the skull and dura mater remain intact. Closed head injuries are the leading cause of death in children under 4 years old and the most common cause of physical disability and cognitive impairment in young people...
to his brain. Whilst undergoing physical therapy
Physical therapy
Physical therapy , often abbreviated PT, is a health care profession. Physical therapy is concerned with identifying and maximizing quality of life and movement potential within the spheres of promotion, prevention, diagnosis, treatment/intervention,and rehabilitation...
to enable him to walk again, Harris discovered that he could still swim very well.
Harris was selected to represent Australia
Australia at the 2000 Summer Paralympics
Australia was the host nation for the 2000 Summer Paralympics in Sydney. Australia finished at the top of the medal table, with 63 gold medals. Among Australia's most successful athletes were Lisa Llorens, who won three gold medals and one silver in track and field, and Siobhan Paton, who won six...
in swimming at the 2000 Summer Paralympics
2000 Summer Paralympics
The 2000 Paralympic Games were held in Sydney, Australia, from 18 October to 29 October. The eleventh Summer Paralympic Games, an estimated 3800 athletes took part in the Sydney programme. They commenced with the opening ceremony on 18 October 2000...
in Sydney
Sydney
Sydney is the most populous city in Australia and the state capital of New South Wales. Sydney is located on Australia's south-east coast of the Tasman Sea. As of June 2010, the greater metropolitan area had an approximate population of 4.6 million people...
. He won a silver medal in the 50 m freestyle S7 and bronze in the 50 m. He competed in the 2002 Commonwealth Games
2002 Commonwealth Games
The 2002 Commonwealth Games were held in Manchester, England from 25 July to 4 August 2002. The XVII Commonwealth Games was the largest multi-sport event ever to be held in the UK, eclipsing London's 1948 Summer Olympics in numbers of teams and athletes participating.After the 1996 Manchester...
in Manchester
Manchester
Manchester is a city and metropolitan borough in Greater Manchester, England. According to the Office for National Statistics, the 2010 mid-year population estimate for Manchester was 498,800. Manchester lies within one of the UK's largest metropolitan areas, the metropolitan county of Greater...
, coming 6th and 10th in the 50 m and 100 m freestyle MD events respectively. At the 2004 Summer Paralympics
2004 Summer Paralympics
The 2004 Summer Paralympics were held in Athens, Greece, from September 17 to September 28. The twelfth Paralympic Games, an estimated 4,000 athletes took part in the Athens programme, with ages ranging from 11 to 66. Paralympic events had already taken place during the 2004 Summer Olympics as...
in Athens
Athens
Athens , is the capital and largest city of Greece. Athens dominates the Attica region and is one of the world's oldest cities, as its recorded history spans around 3,400 years. Classical Athens was a powerful city-state...
, Harris won a gold medal in the 4×100 m medley relay, and a silver in the 4×100 m freestyle relay.
Harris was due to undergo deep brain stimulation
Deep brain stimulation
Deep brain stimulation is a surgical treatment involving the implantation of a medical device called a brain pacemaker, which sends electrical impulses to specific parts of the brain...
surgery in October 2009, which would have involved insertion of electrodes into his brain to calm his uncontrollable movements. On 27 October 2009, days before the operation was scheduled, Harris took his own life and was struck by a train on a level crossing at Lara, Victoria
Lara, Victoria
Lara is a residential rural suburb, 15 km north-east of Geelong, inland from the Princes Freeway to Melbourne.- History :The explorers Hume and Hovell arrived at Lara on December 16, 1824, believing that they had reached Westernport Bay...
.
Alex Harris was a member of the Australian swimming community known for both his swimming achievements and for his efforts outside the pool, inspiring and motivating other swimmers.
External links
- Athlete Profile, Victorian Institute of SportVictorian Institute of SportThe Victorian Institute of Sport is the government-funded sporting institute of the Australian state of Victoria. It runs a number of programs for sports training. The headquarters are located in Melbourne. The inaugural executive director of the institute was Frank Pyke....
- Athlete Profile, 2006 Commonwealth Games2006 Commonwealth GamesThe 2006 Commonwealth Games were held in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia between 15 March and 26 March 2006. It was the largest sporting event to be staged in Melbourne, eclipsing the 1956 Summer Olympics in terms of the number of teams competing, athletes competing, and events being held.The site...