Dylan Littlehales

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

Dylan Littlehales
Photo of Dylan Littlehales from the 2016 Australian Paralympic Team media guide
Personal information
Nationality Australia
Born (1999-11-02) 2 November 1999
Sport
ClubAvoca Kayak Club

Personal

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 overcome but still has poor mobility and strength in the right leg.[3] In 2016, he attends Kariong Mountains High School.[4] He lives in Kariong, New South Wales.

Canoeing

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."[5]

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.[5][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.[6] 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.[7]

At the 2017 ICF Canoe Sprint World Championships, Račice, Czech Republic, he finished fifth in the Men's KL3 200m.[8] 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 KL3200m.[9]

Littlehales is coached by Paul Hutchinson and David Birt 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.[10]

Recognition
  • 2015 - Central Coast Young Achiever.[11]
  • 2017 - Australian Canoeing Junior Canoeist of the Year - Olympic/Paralympic [12]

References
  1. "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. "Dylan Littlehales". Australian Paralympic Committee website. Retrieved 20 May 2016.
  4. "Dylan Littlehales". Australian Canoeing website. Retrieved 20 May 2016.
  5. "Faces of the future: Australia's Dylan Littlehales". International Paralympic Committee website. Retrieved 20 May 2016.
  6. "/ McGrath wins double gold as Australia locks up two more Paralympic berths". Australian Paralympic Committee website. Retrieved 20 May 2016.
  7. "2016 Australian Canoeing Award Winners". Australian Canoeing website. Retrieved 15 November 2016.
  8. "Results 2017 World Championships". International Canoe Federation website. Retrieved 2 September 2017.
  9. "Australia Finishes Success World Champs With More Tickets To Tokyo". Paddle Australia website. 26 August 2019. Retrieved 26 August 2019.
  10. "Dylan Littlehales". MySwimResults website. Archived from the original on 11 June 2016. Retrieved 20 May 2016.
  11. Herd, Emma (18 February 2016). "Macy Callaghan and Dylan Littlehales are our Junior Sports Stars". Central Coast Gosford Express Advocate. Retrieved 20 May 2016.
  12. "Fox and Mcgrath win top gongs at Australian canoeing awards". Canoeing Australia website. Retrieved 6 November 2017.
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