Biography
Who is John Maclean?
In 1988 John Maclean was a promising rugby league player with the Penrith Panthers. During fitness training while cycling near his hometown John was hit by a 12 tonne truck. The impact resulted in John suffering multiple breaks to his pelvis and back, a fractured sternum, punctured lungs, a broken arm and left John as a paraplegic. During his four months recuperation in hospital, John, never being one to let the world pass him by, set about redefining and establishing a new set of goals for himself.
John is now regarded as one of the greatest and toughest athletes the world has known, wheelchair or not. In 1995 John made history by becoming the first wheelchair athlete to finish the worlds toughest multi-discipline sporting event – the Hawaiian Ironman Triathlon. Although he had finished the course, John had failed to make the able-bodied cut off time in the gruelling 180 km cycle leg. The following year John narrowly missed the cut off time again, this time due to a flat tyre. He still finished the race. Refusing to be defeated, on his 3rd attempt, John vanquished his demons and scorched the 3.8km ocean swim, 180km cycle leg and 42.2km marathon in 12 hours, 21 minutes and 38 seconds. John placed 946th out of 1421 able-bodied athletes.
Now with focus of the sporting world upon him, John has continued to push himself and the limits of people perceptions, astounding the sporting world with feets of courage, determination and endurance. John continues to set the standard, becoming the first wheelchair athlete to swim the English Channel, complete the gruelling Molokai Ocean challenge and even racing in the Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race. As you can see, there really is no stopping John Maclean.
