Nikki Ayers made her Australian Rowing Team debut in 2018. The Canberra-local was selected to compete in the PR3 Mixed Coxed Four at the 2018 World Rowing Championships.

Nikki had been an active rugby union player until she dislocated her knee and permanently damaged her peroneal nerve and popliteal artery. As a result, she developed a drop foot and endured 16 surgeries to remove the dead muscle and undergo a knee reconstruction to repair three ligaments.

Nikki got into Para-rowing after attending one of Rowing Australia’s #Train4Tokyo Talent ID days at the Australian Institute of Sport. She says “I gave it a go and have loved it ever since!”

At her Paralympic debut at Tokyo 2020, Nikki competed alongside Alexandra Viney, Thomas Birtwistle, James Talbot, and Renae Domaschenz in the PR3 Mixed Coxed Four to finish in fourth place with a time of 7:34.73.

Nikki has a postgraduate diploma in …

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Date of birth
3 March 1991
Sport
Para-rowing
Past Paralympic Games

Tokyo 2020

Residence
Melba, ACT
Occupation
Registered Nurse - Worked in Canberra Intensive Care Unit for 9yrs
Started competing
2018
First competed for Australia
2018
Sport career highlights

Winning PR3 Womens single skull Interstate twice in a row (2019 & 2021). Being selected for Aus rowing team to go to Tokyo

Greatest sporting moments

Captaining the ACT women's Brumbies 7's team at nationals. Representing Australia for the first time at World Champs in 2018, two years after my injury. I always wanted to represent Australia but aspired for it to be in rugby union. I was able to make the most of a traumatic and negative experience and then row for Australia

Heroes/role models

I am motivated and inspired by athletes and everyday people who have overcome adversity and challenges that have made them adapt and achieve greatness

Favourite quote
Control what you can control

Disciplines

  • Sport: Para-rowing Classification: PR3

Social Media

  • instagram