Christie Dawes

Christie Dawes

Dawes pre race at the 2000 Summer Paralympics
Personal information
Birth name	Christie Skelton
Nationality	Australian
Born	(1980-05-03) 3 May 1980 (age 37) Newcastle, New South Wales, Australia
Residence	Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
Height	1.56 m (5 ft 1 in) (2008)
Weight	45 kg (99 lb) (2008)
Sport
Country	Australia
Sport	Wheelchair racing
Event(s)	800 m, 1500 m and 5000 m, Marathon
Medal record Wheelchair racing Representing  Australia Paralympic Games 2008 Beijing 4×100 m T53–T54 2016 Rio Women's 4×400 metre relay - T53/54 2012 London Women's 5000 m T54

Christie Dawes née Skelton (born 3 May 1980) is an Australian Paralympic wheelchair racing athlete. She represented Australia at the 2016 Rio Paralympics in athletics.

When she was young, Dawes was very interested in athletics. At the age of 10, she was in a car accident. She survived, but became a paraplegic. Christie continued in her career in athletics, but also took up the job of a primary school teacher. She is married to her coach Andrew Dawes and their son was born in 2011.

In 1996, Dawes competed in the Atlanta Paralympics, where she was awarded the 1996 Young Paralympian of the Year Award.

Three years later, she won a bronze medal for the 10 km Peachtree Road Race. In 2000, she competed in the Sydney Paralympics.

Next was the 2004 Paralympics in Athens Paralympics, where she competed in 800 m, 1500 m, and 5000 m races and the Marathon. She also competed in the 800 m wheelchair demonstration event at the 2004 Athens Olympics.

She competed in the 2006 Melbourne Commonwealth Games, coming fifth in the Women's 800 m EAD T54 event.

Dawes competed in the 2008 Summer Paralympics in Beijing, and was one of several competitors caught up in a crash during the final of the women's 5000 m T54 wheelchair event, eventually finishing sixth despite a broken front wheel. The race was re-run, and Dawes spoke out against the treatment of Canadian athlete Diane Roy, who had been awarded the gold medal in the event, only to have it taken back and replaced with a silver medal when she finished second in the re-run. Dawes won a silver medal at the Women's 4x100 m T53/54 event at the Beijing games.

A few months after the games, she came third in the New York City Marathon. In January 2009, she won the Oz Day 10K Wheelchair Road Race. In February 2010, Dawes won the 10 km world wheelchair road race championships in the United Arab Emirates.