Vanessa Lowe lost both of her legs in a tragic train accident at the age of 15 and was told she would never be able to walk again. Vanessa spent two weeks in a coma, six months in hospital and underwent nine surgeries. Still, the most challenging part of her journey was learning to believe in herself and her abilities in a world that told her the opposite was true. But Vanessa's story it not ruled by adversity; it is about taking action even when the odds are against you. It is a story about choices and courage.
Determined to reach beyond perceived limitations, Vanessa decided to take charge of her life and took a chance to achieve the unimaginable and, in doing so, created a life beyond fears, life on her new feet. Today Vanessa's normality, being able to walk and run on a daily basis, is the product of a strong vision, resilience and perseverance, made possible by hard work and a passionate heart.
Vanessa became a paralympic gold medallist and world record holder in the long jump and is the only above knee amputee, single or double, to have jumped over the 5 m marks. Athletics gave Vanessa a second chance in life, a direction and a purpose. Like many others, Vanessa's proudest achievements came in the face of her greatest adversity.
Current Work:
While athletics is still Vanessa's focus in life, she also proudly donates her time toward the FIA #3500lives road safety campaign, with the ultimate goal to reduce every day's traffic casualties to zero. Vanessa also passionately shares her story with people worldwide, mindful about the impact her story may have on others.
In 2022 Vanessa was awarded an Order of Australia Medal for her service to sport as a gold medallist at the Tokyo Paralympic Games 2020.
