John Martin (Paralympian)

Lore & Background

John Martin was born in Eastleigh, England, in 1943, the youngest of three children. His father worked as a carpenter, aircraft mechanic and keen soccer player, while his mother was a homemaker. He attended The Crescent Primary School and Toynbee Road Secondary Boys School, playing soccer and cricket and running cross-country. In 1956, at age 13, his family emigrated to Australia due to his sister's rheumatic fever, settling in the Sydney suburb of Riverstone. He attended Richmond High School and left at nearly fifteen to work at a timber yard with his father. In November 1961, aged 18, he contracted polio.

Martin began playing wheelchair sport during rehabilitation and quickly excelled at table tennis, defeating the New South Wales champion. At the 1964 Tokyo Paralympics, he won a silver medal in the Men's St. Nicholas Round Team open event. He participated in the 1966 Commonwealth Paraplegic Games in Kingston, Jamaica, winning three gold, four silver and two bronze medals. At the 1968 Tel Aviv Paralympics, he competed in athletics, table tennis, wheelchair basketball and wheelchair fencing, winning two silver medals in the Men's Slalom B and Men's 4x40 m Relay open events. He won several medals at the 1970 Commonwealth Paraplegic Games in Edinburgh and equalled the world record in the 100 m at the 1970 Australian National Championships. At the 1972 Heidelberg Paralympics, he severely cut his hand during a wheelchair basketball game, ending his campaign; he participated in athletics events but won no medals. He won three gold and two silver medals at the 1974 Commonwealth Paraplegic Games in Dunedin. He attended each Stoke Mandeville Games from 1974 to 1981, winning gold in the pentathlon in 1974 and 1975. In 1975, he won five gold and three silver medals at the first FESPIC Games in Japan. That year, he became the first person in a wheelchair to compete in Sydney's City2Surf race, after organisers had previously refused him entry. He equalled the world record in the 1500 m at the 1976 Australian National Championships. He was captain–coach of the wheelchair basketball team at the 1976 Toronto Paralympics and also competed in athletics and table tennis. He captained the Australian team at the 1977 Stoke Mandeville Games, winning gold in the slalom, silver in lawn bowls and bronze in wheelchair basketball. He participated in the second FESPIC Games in Sydney that year. At the 1980 Arnhem Paralympics, he competed in athletics and table tennis. The 1981 Stoke Mandeville Games was his last international event, but he continued playing wheelchair basketball for New South Wales until 1988.

Reader's Guide

John Martin's career spans five Paralympics from 1964 to 1980, during which he won three silver medals across multiple sports including archery, athletics, table tennis, wheelchair basketball and wheelchair fencing. His versatility is notable: he competed in athletics, table tennis, wheelchair basketball and wheelchair fencing at the 1968 Tel Aviv Games alone. He also excelled at the Commonwealth Paraplegic Games, winning multiple medals in 1966, 1970 and 1974, and at the Stoke Mandeville Games from 1974 to 1981. In 1975, he became the first wheelchair competitor in Sydney's City2Surf race, after being barred from the previous two events. He equalled world records in the 100 m and 1500 m at Australian National Championships in 1970 and 1976 respectively. His participation in the FESPIC Games in 1975 and 1977 further demonstrates his international reach. After retiring from international competition in 1981, he continued playing wheelchair basketball for New South Wales until 1988. His career illustrates the breadth of early Paralympic sport, where athletes often competed in multiple disciplines, and his achievements helped establish wheelchair sports in Australia.