Damien Bowen is an outgoing young man who loves to have a laugh. But the self-confessed larrikin from Queanbeyan knows when to switch to competition mode. With his sights now set on London and beyond, Damien is training to throw the javelin further than he has ever done before.

Born with cerebral palsy, Damien loves both javelin and shot put. He has moved speedily through the ranks since making his first Australian team in 2006, where he competed in the seated discus at the FESPIC Games in Kuala Lumpur. He finished seventh in the javelin at the Beijing Paralympics and believes these Games were the best experience of his life.

“The Beijing experience is impossible to sum up in a few words,” says Damien. “I have never experienced something of that calibre ever before in my life. I was proud to be part of it and have never been prouder of being part of an Australian team.”

The Beijing Games also served as a great learning curve for Damien who was enthralled and inspired to succeed by the world class depth of competition before him. In 2010 he went to compete at the Commonwealth Games in Delhi where he narrowly missed out on a bronze medal in the men’s shot put after falling short to fellow Australian Hamish MacDonald.

In the prelude to London 2012, Damien has been in imposing form. At the 2011 National Championships, he won gold in javelin and silver in shot put shortly after setting an Australian record at the 2011 IPC World Championships in Christchurch. His throw of 30.9 metres not only claimed Damien the record but ensured he finished in fourth place in the javelin event.

Damien represents the Queanbeyan Athletics Club and is using his knowledge and skills as a professional athlete to run his own physiotherapy practice in Queanbeyan.