THE Shoalhaven has farewelled one of its most successful sportsmen, with wheelchair racer Kieran Dinnerville moving to Queensland.
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The 30-year-old from Callala Bay tasted success over a variety of sports including track and field, lawn bowls, powerlifting, archery and tennis.
Dinnerville has moved to the Sunshine Coast with his family but will long remember the Shoalhaven and the support he received while competing.
“I can never thank the Shoalhaven for its support and backing,” he said.
“I have some great memories of the area and in particular the way the community supported my dreams.”
Dinnerville, who suffers from Spina Bifida, tasted success across a number of sports in which he completed.
He was a junior national gold medallist on the track, holding two national records over the 100 and 200m.
Get out there and have a go. You will never know if you are any good at something or in fact can do it if you don't have a go.
- Former Shoalhaven wheelchair sportstar Kieran Dinnerville
He secured a national bronze and state gold medal in archery, was a state champion in the 48 kilogram division in powerlifting and finished fourth in the South Pacific International lawns bowls event.
At his height in 2004 he was a member of the Paralympic Talent Squad.
“About the only sport I really didn’t go that well in was wheelchair tennis,” he said “but at least I gave it a crack.”
Having now retired from competitive sport, Dinnerville has donated his racing chair and racing equipment and lawn bowls chair to Wheelchair Sports NSW in a hope another aspiring young athlete might also use them.
“I know what it was like to get a chair for a specific sporting purpose,” he said.
“It is special and I hope this might help inspire another athlete to the heights I was able to achieve.
“Injuries and wear and tear have caught up with me and my racing and competing days are over, so I just hope this donation can help some other athletes.”
His parting advice for any young athlete or an athlete with a disability was simple.
“Get out there and have a go,” he said.
“You will never know if you are any good at something or in fact can do it if you don't have a go.
“If nothing else you will have a great time.”