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Danielle Aitchison

Personal information
Born	(2001-08-16) 16 August 2001 (age 23) Morrinsville, New Zealand
Sport
Country	New Zealand
Sport	Para-athletics
Disability	Cerebral palsy
Disability class	T36
Club	Hamilton City Hawks Athletics
Medal record Women's para-athletics Representing  New Zealand Paralympic Games 2020 Tokyo 200m T36 2024 Paris 100 m T36 2024 Paris 200 m T36 2020 Tokyo 100m T36 World Championships 2023 Paris 200m T36 2024 Kobe 200m T36 2019 Dubai 200m T36 2024 Kobe 100m T36

Danielle Aitchison (born 16 August 2001) is a New Zealand para-athlete. She competes in the 100 metres and 200 metres in international events. She won a gold medal with a new Oceania record in the women’s 200-metre T36 at the 2023 World Para Athletics Championships in Paris, France in July 2023.

Personal life

Aitchison was born in Morrinsville in 2001 and grew up in Patetonga in the Hauraki District. She attended Kaihere School. She was born with severe jaundice, cerebral palsy and 80-90% hearing loss. She has two uncommon types of cerebral palsy: athetoid and ataxia. She has cochlear implants in both ears. While growing up Aitchison participated in ballet, netball and hockey.

Career

Aitchison began competing in para-athletics at age 16 in 2017, at the Halberg Junior Disability Games in Auckland, New Zealand. She has competed in long jump and won a national title in the event.

In 2019 she represented New Zealand internationally for the first time at the 2019 World Para Athletics Championships in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. She finished fourth in the 100m event and won silver in the 200m event with an Oceania record time (29.86sec).

Competing at the 2020 Summer Paralympics in the women's 200 metres T36, Aitchison finished fastest in her heat. In the final, Aitchison won silver with a time of 29.88. She also won bronze in the women's 100 metres T36.

References

1. ^ "Health challenges prove no barrier for Waikato teen Danielle Aitchison". Stuff. 5 February 2018. Archived from the original on 5 October 2018.
2. "Danielle Aitchison - Athletics New Zealand". Athletics New Zealand. 9 March 2020. Archived from the original on 19 December 2019.
3. "Teenage Dreams". Athletics New Zealand. 6 June 2019. Archived from the original on 22 June 2019.
4. "Aitchison sprints to world para athletics gold". The New Zealand Herald. 7 February 2024. Retrieved 7 February 2024.
5. Landells, Steve (15 July 2023). "Aitchison blitzes to epic 200m gold medal success". Athletics New Zealand. Retrieved 7 February 2024.
6. ^ "Danielle Aitchison - Athletics | Paralympic Athlete Profile". International Paralympic Committee. Retrieved 29 August 2021.
7. ^ "Tokyo Paralympics: After struggling to walk, NZ sprinter Danielle Aitchison goes for gold". Stuff. 21 August 2021. Retrieved 29 August 2021.
8. "Tokyo Paralympics 2020: Kiwi sprinter Danielle Aitchison claims silver in T36 200m final". Retrieved 29 August 2021.
9. "Sprinter Danielle Aitchison gunning for medal in Tokyo". TVNZ. Retrieved 29 August 2021.
10. "Tokyo Paralympics: Danielle Aitchison wins second medal, bronze in women's 100m final". Stuff. 1 September 2021. Retrieved 1 September 2021.

External links

• Danielle Aitchison at Athletics New Zealand
• Danielle Aitchison at Paralympics New Zealand
• Danielle Aitchison at the International Paralympic Committee

• 2001 births
• Living people
• People from Morrinsville
• New Zealand female sprinters
• Paralympic athletes for New Zealand
• Paralympic medalists in athletics (track and field)
• Paralympic silver medalists for New Zealand
• Paralympic bronze medalists for New Zealand
• Athletes (track and field) at the 2020 Summer Paralympics
• Athletes (track and field) at the 2024 Summer Paralympics
• Medalists at the 2020 Summer Paralympics
• Medalists at the 2024 Summer Paralympics
• Medalists at the World Para Athletics Championships
• World Para Athletics Championships winners
• Sportspeople from Waikato
• 21st-century New Zealand sportswomen