Todd Hodgetts is the gentle giant of the Australian Paralympic athletics squad – that is, until he moves into the shot put circle. When he does, he well and truly lives up to his nickname ‘The Hulk’.

‘The Hulk’ first began competing in Para-athletics in 1998 when his brother brought home a shot put from school, and after watching the Paralympic Games in Sydney two years later, he was motivated to represent Australia at the highest level.

But when athletes with an intellectual impairment were excluded from competition after 2000, Todd turned his attention to weightlifting. Inspired by Olympic gold medallist Dean Lukin, Todd set new Australian junior dead lift and Tasmanian super heavyweight records.

But cometh the hour, cometh the man. The London 2012 Paralympic Games saw the reinclusion of three sports for athletes with an intellectual impairment, and Todd knew that it was his chance to show the …

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Date of birth
23 March 1988
Sport
Para-athletics
Past Paralympic Games

London 2012, Rio 2016, Tokyo 2020

Impairment
Intellectual Impairment
How acquired
Congenital
Residence
Glen Iris, VIC
Occupation
Sport operations at Melbourne Sports and Aquatic Centre
Started competing
1998
First competed for Australia
2005
Sport career highlights

Winning a gold medal in the men’s shot put F20 at the London 2012 Paralympic Games

Greatest sporting moments

Being nominated for Male Athlete of the Year at the 2012 Australian Paralympian of the Year Awards

Heroes/role models

Daniel Geale, Dean Lukin

Favourite quote
It's not where you start, it's where you finish

Disciplines

  • Sport: Para-athletics Discipline: Shot put Classification: F20

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