Hamish Macdonald is one of Australia’s greatest and most respected Paralympians. Entering his sixth Paralympics at London 2012, it shapes as another memorable chapter in the shot put champion’s decorated career.

The dual Paralympic medallist is still proving extremely competitive in international competition, finishing sixth at the 2011 IPC Athletics World Championships. And in 2010, he won a bronze medal at the Commonwealth Games in the shot put, just edging out fellow Australian Damien Bowen to claim his spot on the medal dais.

Hamish’s career is highlighted by his gold medal at the Atlanta 1996 Paralympic Games and silver in Athens 2004. Unfortunately, in Sydney where he finished fourth, his Paralympic campaign was marred by confusion over classification, disrupting his preparation.

Bouncing back, in 2003, he was named the Male Disability Athlete of the Year after breaking his own world record in the seated shot put at the 2002 World Championships.

Not only is he an exceptional sportsperson, Hamish works in sport administration with the Australian Sports Commission which has enabled him to also make a difference outside the field of play. He has been involved in several initiatives to educate people, raise awareness and change peoples’ understandings regarding disability sport.

Hamish has travelled to several islands in the Caribbean and South Pacific to implement sports programs for athletes with a disability. He has also made significant contributions to the international community, both inside and outside sport. He has been a member of the International Paralympic Committee Athlete Commission and has also been involved with the United Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR) since 1998, travelling to two refugee camps on the Thai/Cambodian border. He also represented the World Anti-Doping Authority (WADA) at the 2003 South Pacific Games as an athlete ambassador to help raise awareness of drugs in sport and currently works for the Australian Sports Commission.

At his fifth Paralympics in Beijing, Hamish finished sixth in the shot put. He believes the level of competition at the Games was the toughest he has ever faced and looks forward to the challenge ahead in London.