Collie local Shaun Pianta lost his eyesight after contracting a virus while whitewater rafting on holiday in Bali, Indonesia.

Damaging his optic nerve, he was blind within hours, and following a stint in hospital at the Australian Embassy, he was flown to Perth where he spent three weeks as an inpatient. During this time, he suffered complete kidney failure before making a full recovery after being put on dialysis.

An avid snowboarder before losing his sight, Shaun first discovered Para-alpine skiing in 2012 at a Disabled Wintersport expo in Melbourne. He signed up, and soon set himself the goal of becoming a Paralympian.

Unfortunately, in November 2014, Shaun suffered a horrific setback after breaking both his legs in a training run in Austria ahead of his international debut. Unable to walk, it was seven-and-a-half months before he returned to the slopes, three of those spent in a wheelchair.

Linking up …

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Date of birth
24 February 1989
Sport
Para-alpine skiing
Impairment
Vision impairment
How acquired
Virus
Residence
Collie, WA
Occupation
Athlete
Started competing
2015
First competed for Australia
2015
Sport career highlights

Placing second in the Giant Slalom at the 2017 IPC Alpine Skiing Europa Cup in Veysonnaz, Switzerland

Disciplines

  • Sport: Para-alpine skiing Discipline: Downhill Classification: B3
  • Sport: Para-alpine skiing Discipline: Giant Slalom Classification: B3
  • Sport: Para-alpine skiing Discipline: Slalom Classification: B3
  • Sport: Para-alpine skiing Discipline: Super-G Classification: B3
  • Sport: Para-alpine skiing Discipline: Super Combined Classification: B3

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