Alistair Donohoe

Sport has always played an immense role in the life of star Para cyclist Alistair Donohoe, and not even an accident at 15 which almost cost him his right arm was going to stop him from chasing his dream of becoming an elite sportsman.

However, that accident – Alistair jumped from a tree into a creek, and a rope swing wrapped around his arm, severing his bicep and tricep – rendered him eligible for Paralympic sport, and after relocating to Melbourne to train with the Victorian cycling team, Alistair met Australian Para cyclist Michael Gallagher, who encouraged him to pursue a career in Para cycling.

Alistair made his World Championships debut at the 2013 Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI) Para Cycling Road World Championships in Baie-Comeau, Canada, where he won his first of 20 world medals to date, and made his Paralympic debut in 2016, where he won a pair of silver medals in the men’s 4000m individual pursuit C5 and men’s time trial C5.

Alistair was in strong contention for a third medal at the Rio 2016 Paralympic Games, but a sensational collision with Ukraine’s Yehor Dementyev in their sprint to the finish saw both men miss the podium.

At his second Games at Tokyo 2020, he secured another silver medal in the men’s 4000m individual pursuit C5 event at Izu Velodrome. Affectionately dubbed as the Flying Mullet, Alistair added to his medal haul again when he took on a strong field in the 32km men’s time trial C5 to claim bronze.

His hopes for a redemptive medal in the 92.4km men’s road race C4-5 were dashed when wet conditions on the Fuji Speedway circuit caused him to crash out twice during the event. He was able to regain the lead pack, but cramps in the late stage of the race caused him to drop back to finish in fifth.