You could mistake Ben Houlison for a typical 27 year old male. He enjoys drinking beer, following his local football team and beef cattle farming. Unlike most 27 year olds however, Ben is also a champion adaptive rower.
After a workplace incident left him as a paraplegic, Ben left his job as a coal miner and began training to become a world champion athlete.
After beginning his career in 2006, Ben quickly became the New South Wales state champion, a title which he continues to hold. Ben is now the Australian champion and after missing selection for the Beijing Paralympic Games, he has gone on to win his first World Championship medal, winning bronze at the 2009 World Championships in Poland.
Although Ben’s disability allowed him to leave the job he hated for a life of rowing, he admits being a competitive rower has its downfalls. He does not enjoy the early morning starts or the injuries that can occur within the sport - such as tearing his rib cartilage.
Transferring from land to water also took some getting used to with an instance when Ben lost his wheelchair to the ocean as he was trying to relocate himself onto a boat. Despite all the pitfalls, his commitment to rowing shines through as he prepares for the London Games.
Home town: Lithgow
Place of residence: Canberra
Occupation: OH&S Consultant
Club: The Lakes Rowers
Date of birth: 30/11/81
Height: 185cm
Weight: 85kg
School: Lithgow High
Current coach: Pedro Albisser
Institute/Academy: AIS
Sporting hero: Andrew Jones
Rowing career highlight(s):
- Bronze 2009 World Championships AMX1
- Gold AM1x 2009 ARC
- Bronze at 2009 International Adaptive Regatta, Italy
Interests: NRL, farming, car racing
Favourite sporting team: Wests Tigers
Famous relatives: David Palmer