Dylan Littlehales

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Dylan Littlehales
Photo of Dylan Littlehales from the 2020 Australian Paralympic Team media guide
Personal information
Nationality Australia
Born (1999-11-02) 2 November 1999 (age 24)
Sport
ClubAvoca Kayak Club
Medal record
Men's paracanoeing
Representing  Australia
World Championships
Gold medal – first place 2023 Duisburg KL3
Bronze medal – third place 2022 Dartmouth KL3

Dylan Littlehales (born 2 November 1999) is an Australian paracanoeist. He competed for Australia at the 2016 Rio Paralympics and 2020 Tokyo Paralympics.[1][2]

Personal[edit]

Littlehales was born on 2 November 1999.[3] At birth, his right leg had a deficiency with it missing some crucial ligaments and bones.[3] He has undergone 20 operations to improve the outcome but still has poor mobility and strength in the right leg.[3] He attended Kariong Mountains High School.[4] In 2021, He is undertaking a Bachelor of Science majoring in Psychology at the University of Newcastle.[5] He lives in Kariong, New South Wales.

Canoeing[edit]

He is classified as KL3 paracanoeist. His uncle Mike Druce, Australian slalom coach, introduced him to paracanoeing at the age of fourteen. He said: "I picked up the sport at the perfect time, because right after I started a new canoe club started about 20 minutes away from me. They had a bunch of boats and paddles, and then I got my own stuff eventually. It is difficult to be able to stay in the boat at first, just to sit fine in it can be a pretty physical thing. After learning that, it is more of a mental thing and building up physical strength."[6]

At the 2015 Australian Championships in Sydney, he finished second in the Men's K1 200 LTA and third in the Men's K1 500 and 1000 LTA events.[4] As a fifteen year old, he competed at the 2015 ICF Canoe Sprint World Championships, Milan.[4] He was the youngest competitor by three years. He finished eight in the Men's KL3 200m B Final.[6][4]

In 2016, he was the gold medallist at the Australian Championships in Perth, Western Australia and Oceania Championships in the Men's 200 m KL3.[4] At the 2016 ICF Paracanoe World Championships in Duisburg, Germany, he finished second in the Men's 200 m KL3 B Final. This qualified Australia a 2016 Rio Paralympics quota spot.[7] At the Rio Paralympics, at the age of seventeen, he finished sixth in the Men's KL3 semi-final and did not qualify for the final.[1]

In November 2016, he was awarded Australian Canoeing Junior Canoeist of the Year.[8]

At the 2017 ICF Canoe Sprint World Championships, Račice, Czech Republic, he finished fifth in the Men's KL3 200m.[9] At the 2018 ICF Canoe Sprint World Championships, Montemor-o-Velho, Portugal, he again finished fifth in the Men's KL3 200m.

At the 2019 ICF Canoe Sprint World Championships, Szeged, Hungary, he finished fourth in the Men's KL3 200m.[10]

At the 2020 Summer Paralympics, Littlehales finished fourth in the Men's Men's KL3 200m.[11] He came second in his Heat and won his Semi-Final. He could not better his Semi-Final time of 40.234. If he had he would have won the Gold medal.[12]

Littlehales won his first international medal by winning the bronze medal in the Men's KL3 200m at the 2022 ICF Canoe Sprint World Championships.[13]

Littlehales is coached by Paul Hutchinson, David Birt and Shaun Caven and is a member of the Avoca Kayak Club.[4][3] He models his kayaking technique on two Australian kayakers - Lachlan Tame and Rob McIntyre.[4]

He also swims for the Gosford Stingrays Swim Club.[14]

Recognition[edit]

  • 2015 - Central Coast Young Achiever.[15]
  • 2017 - Australian Canoeing Junior Canoeist of the Year - Olympic/Paralympic [16]
  • 2023 - Paddle Australia Paracanoeist of the Year with Ben Sainsbury[17]

References[edit]

  1. ^ a b "Dylan Littlehales". Rio Paralympics Official site. Archived from the original on 14 November 2016. Retrieved 13 November 2016.
  2. ^ "World Champions headline first Australian Paralympic Canoe Team". Australian Paralympic Committee News, 16 June 2016. Retrieved 16 June 2016.
  3. ^ a b c d "Dylan Littlehales". Australian Paralympic Committee website. Retrieved 20 May 2016.
  4. ^ a b c d e f g "Dylan Littlehales". Australian Canoeing website. July 2015. Retrieved 20 May 2016.
  5. ^ "Dyalan Littlehales". Paddle Australia. July 2015. Archived from the original on 25 March 2019. Retrieved 19 September 2021.
  6. ^ a b "Faces of the future: Australia's Dylan Littlehales". International Paralympic Committee website. Retrieved 20 May 2016.
  7. ^ "/ McGrath wins double gold as Australia locks up two more Paralympic berths". Australian Paralympic Committee website. Retrieved 20 May 2016.
  8. ^ "2016 Australian Canoeing Award Winners". Australian Canoeing website. Archived from the original on 16 November 2016. Retrieved 15 November 2016.
  9. ^ "Results 2017 World Championships". International Canoe Federation website. Retrieved 2 September 2017.
  10. ^ "Australia Finishes Success World Champs With More Tickets To Tokyo". Paddle Australia website. 26 August 2019. Retrieved 26 August 2019.
  11. ^ "Australia Names Experienced Para-Canoe Squad For Tokyo". Paralympics Australia. 5 June 2021. Archived from the original on 5 June 2021. Retrieved 6 June 2021.
  12. ^ "Australian Paralympic Team for Tokyo 2021". The Roar. Retrieved 28 June 2022.
  13. ^ "Bronze Medal For Littlehales At ICF Paracanoe World Championships". Paddle Australia. 6 August 2022. Retrieved 15 August 2022.
  14. ^ "Dylan Littlehales". MySwimResults website. Archived from the original on 11 June 2016. Retrieved 20 May 2016.
  15. ^ Herd, Emma (18 February 2016). "Macy Callaghan and Dylan Littlehales are our Junior Sports Stars". Central Coast Gosford Express Advocate. Retrieved 20 May 2016.
  16. ^ "Fox and Mcgrath win top gongs at Australian canoeing awards". Canoeing Australia website. 5 November 2017. Retrieved 6 November 2017.
  17. ^ phoebemaher (29 October 2023). "PADDLING COMMUNITY CELEBRATES 2023 PADDLE AUSTRALIA AWARDS | Paddle Australia". Retrieved 30 October 2023.

External links[edit]