GOURLEY, Mitchell
'Mitch' Gourley.
Paralympic skier, ‘Mitch’ Gourley achieved one of his dreams when he mounted the podium as the gold medallist after winning the World Cup giant slalom at Sestriere, Italy in 2013. This was during an outstanding season when he collected one gold and four silvers.
The following year’s series saw him gain two gold, three silver, and one bronze medal as he entered his Paralympic campaign. His partial left arm deficiency which gives him an LW6/8-2 classification in para-alpine and para-nordic events was subsumed to his motivation, determination and physical strength.
He won his first World Cup title in international competition at the IPC Nor Am Cup early in 2012. The event was the giant slalom. This was after winning his first international event the previous year at the North American Cup and three third place finishes in the IPC World Cup series in January 2012 in Italy.
‘Mitch’ has been a determined winter sports fanatic since before his teens and has skied as part of the Australian Paralympic Alpine Team for eight years since 2006. Mitch competed at the 2014
Paralympic Games at Sochi competing in five events finishing 5th in the Men’s super combined standing event and 7th in the Men’s downhill standing but became a disappointed favourite when he crashed out near the finish line in the giant Slalom. He also participated in the 2010 Paralympic Games at Vancouver gaining a personal best of 10th in the Super-G standing event.
‘Mitch’, from Barwon Heads, enrolled at Geelong College from February 2000 to December 2008 and was amember of McArthur House. He was born 2 June 1991. He has gained scholarships to both the Victorian and Australian Institutes of Sport and is also currently studying at Melbourne University.
In October 2014, ‘Mitch’ Gourley was inducted into the Old Geelong Collegians' Association (OGCA) Notables Gallery at Geelong College in recognition of his achievements in sport.
Sources: Gouley wins first gold on the slopes. acc. 30 July 2014. OGC 2009.