Lauren Parker is a two-time Paralympic champion and gold medallist, two-time Paralympic silver medallist, four-time para-triathlon world champion, Ironman 70.3 world champion and two-time Ironman world champion, and para-cycling time trial world champion.

She made history at the Paris Paralympic Games, becoming the first Australian in 48 years to win gold in two different sports at the same Games: PTWC para-triathlon, and para-cycling in the H1-4 road race. She also scored a silver in the H1-3 individual time trial just two days after competing in para-triathlon, adding to her silver medal from the Tokyo Games.

Already driven and determined since her junior swimming days, Lauren went from elite triathlete to elite para-triathlete in the span of nine months – one of the fastest transitions to adapted sport on record. In two years’ time, she had taken a Commonwealth Games bronze medal and became the first Australian world champion in para-triathlon. Her star has only risen since.

Lauren began racing triathlons in 2008, became age group vice world champion in Kona in 2015, and turned professional in 2016. Three weeks before racing Ironman Australia in 2017, a freak cycling accident broke her spine, shoulder, ribs and pelvis, punctured her lungs and damaged her spinal cord, leaving her instantly paralysed from the waist down — but it didn’t break her spirit. Lauren continues to inspire many people around the world with her life and her racing.