Richard Colman AM
Paralympian & Keynote Speaker
A Paralympian, elite wheelchair athlete, and inspirational speaker who has represented Australia at multiple Paralympic Games, World Championships, and Commonwealth Games. Richard has built a world-class sporting career through resilience, discipline, and belief. His story challenges perceptions and inspires audiences to think bigger, act braver, and pursue their goals without limits.
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Richard was born in 1984 with Spina Bifida and has lived his life proving that limitations do not define potential. Introduced to sport at a young age, he participated in a wide range of activities before discovering a deep passion for athletics—a pursuit that would shape both his career and his outlook on life.
Richard began competitive athletics in 1995, progressing rapidly and earning selection to his first state team in 1996 for the Pacific School Games. From there, he went on to compete consistently at the highest national and international levels.
He made his international debut representing Australia at the 2002 IPC World Athletics Championships in Lyon, France, where he won a bronze medal in the T53 400m. Two years later, at his first Paralympic Games in Athens (2004), Richard captured gold in the T53 800m and silver in the 4x100m relay, marking himself as one of Australia’s premier wheelchair athletes.
Richard continued his success on the world stage with a bronze medal in the T53 800m at the 2006 IPC World Championships in Assen, followed by a standout performance at the 2008 Beijing Paralympic Games, where he won silver in the T53 200m and bronze in the T53 400m.
In 2010, Richard competed at the Commonwealth Games in Delhi, claiming silver in the T54 1500m. The following year proved to be one of his most successful, with gold in the T53 800m and silver in the T53 400m at the 2011 IPC World Athletics Championships, and another gold medal in the T53 400m at the IAAF World Championships in Daegu, South Korea.
At the 2012 London Paralympic Games, Richard added to his remarkable career with gold in the T53 800m, and bronze medals in the T53 400m and the T53/54 4x400m relay. He continued to evolve as an athlete at the 2013 IPC World Championships, stepping up in distance to win bronze medals in the 400m and 5000m, narrowly missing the podium with a fourth-place finish in the 1500m.
Later in 2013, Richard turned his focus to marathon racing, completing nine marathons, recording three personal bests, and finishing the year with the fifth-fastest marathon time globally. He currently holds multiple Australian and Oceania records.
Away from competition, Richard remains deeply connected to sport. He continues to play wheelchair basketball in the Geelong league, swims regularly as part of his cross-training, and coaches athletes across Victoria. He is passionate about mentoring emerging athletes and supporting them to achieve their goals—on and off the track.
Richard holds a Bachelor of Commerce from Deakin University and has completed a number of additional professional qualifications. In 2007, he made history as the first person in a wheelchair to umpire an AFL match, officiating as a goal umpire in the Geelong Football League.
His love of challenge extends beyond sport. In 2014, Richard became the first person in a wheelchair to travel Bolivia’s infamous “Death Road”, and he has now visited 60 countries, with a personal goal of reaching 100.
An ambassador for multiple foundations and organisations, Richard is driven by a desire to inspire others. He sets goals across all areas of life and lives by a simple philosophy: have a go, dream big, and prove that anything is possible.
