Susan Seipel

Susan Seipel (born 4 April 1986) is an Australian Para-canoeist, a gold and bronze medallist in kayak and outrigger canoe at the 2015 and 2016 World Championships. She won a bronze medal at the 2016 Rio Paralympics and a silver medal at the 2020 Summer Paralympics.[1][2]

Susan Seipel
2016 Australian Paralympic team portrait
Personal information
NationalityAustralian
Born (1986-04-04) 4 April 1986
Ipswich, Queensland
Sport
SportParacanoe
Disability classKL2
Medal record
Women's paracanoeing
Representing  Australia
Paralympic Games
Silver medal – second place2020 TokyoVL2
Bronze medal – third place2016 Rio de JaneiroKL2
World Championships
Gold medal – first place2015 MilanVL2
Gold medal – first place2016 DuisburgVL2
Gold medal – first place2017 RačiceVL2
Silver medal – second place2019 SzegedVL2
Bronze medal – third place2015 MilanKL2
Bronze medal – third place2016 DuisburgKL2
Bronze medal – third place2019 SzegedKL2
Bronze medal – third place2023 DuisburgVL2

Personal

Seipel, a Bellbowrie resident of Queensland, was born with Arthrogryposis Multiplex, a rare disorder characterised by fusion of joints and absent muscle formation in her legs.[3] Born in Ipswich, Queensland she attended St Peter Claver College.[4] In 2003, she completed Information Technology certificates and in 2004, a TAFE course in horse management. In 2008, she completed a Diploma of Applied Science, Equine Studies Major at the University of Queensland.[5][6] She is undertaking a course in Professional Leadership at La Trobe University.[7]

She is a volunteer and ambassador for the RSPCA at Wacol, Queensland.[4] [8]

Sporting career

Swimming

Seipel's sporting career began at the age of four as part of her physiotherapy program.[5] She learned to swim at the Bellbowrie Club and competed against her able-bodied classmates at Our lady of the Rosary Primary School, Kenmore.[9] She held six Queensland State records between the age of 13-15 and three Australian National Age records in freestyle and backstroke.[10]

Equestrian

At the age of seven, Seipel's sporting passion began to change after learning to ride horses at the McIntyre Riding Centre for the Disabled in the western suburbs of Brisbane. Seipel said: "We used to go past the Centre on the way to my school and I always saw the horses. I really loved animals and wanted to have a go there. My parents thought it would be good therapy and took me along."[11][12] In 1998, she competed for the first time at the National Riding for Disabled (RDA) Dressage Championships, where she gained first place in her warm- up test against international riders.[11] After competing at these Championships for nine successive years, Seipel made her International debut at the FEI Pacific Rim Para-equestrian Dressage International, held at Milner Downs Equestrian Centre in Langley, Canada.[6] It was here she gave her best performance winning a bronze medal and qualified for the 2008 Summer Paralympics Beijing, China, but was not selected in the team to represent Australia.[13]

Summary of equestrian achievements:
[14]

  • Australian Para Dressage Team for the World Equestrian Games 2010
  • Australian Riding for the Disabled (RDA) National Dressage Champion 1999, 2006, 2008
  • Reserve Para Equestrian Dressage Champion 2010
  • Short listed for 2008 Beijing Paralympics
  • State Riding for the Disabled Queensland Dressage Champion 9 times
  • 2007 Queensland Young Achiever for Sports Award
  • 2009 Equestrian Australia National Para Dressage Development Squad
  • 2010 Equestrian Australia National Para Dressage Elite Squad

In leaving Equestrian, Seipel said: "I did Equestrian for 18 years, competing at National and International level. I decided to take a break because it's quite an expensive sport".[4]

Canoeing

In 2012, Seipel attended a Para-canoe 'come and try day'. She was encouraged to take up Para-canoeing by Australian Olympian Amanda Rankin.[15] and in 2013 joined the Brisbane Canoeing Club.[13] Seipel is classified a KL2 and competed at the 2014 ICF Canoe Sprint World Championships in Moscow where she finished sixth in the Women's KL2 (formerly TA) K1 200m.[8]

Determined to pursue her competitive spirit, Seipel mastered the kayak (K1) and outrigger (V1) canoes winning in both boats at domestic trials.[9] At the 2015 ICF Canoe Sprint World Championships in Milan Italy, she won the gold medal in the Women's V–1 200 m VL2 and bronze medal in the Women's K–1 200 m KL2, a 2016 Rio Paralympics event.

Following her success, and with the support of Australian Canoeing, Seipel decided to move from Brisbane to the Gold Coast Queensland, where she could train full-time with the national coach Andrea King and access the AIS training facilities at Varsity Lakes.[9]

At the 2016 ICF Para-canoe World Championships, Duisburg, Germany, she won the gold medal in the Women's 200 m Vl2 and bronze medal in the Women's 200 m KL2, a Paralympic Games event.[16][17]

Seipel won the bronze medal in the 200 m KL2 when paracanoe made its debut at the Rio Paralympics.[2]

At the 2017 ICF Canoe Sprint World Championships, Račice, Czech Republic, she won the gold medal in Women's VL2 200m and finished fourth in the Women's KL2 200m.[18] At the 2018 ICF Canoe Sprint World Championships, Montemor-o-Velho, Portugal, she finished sixth in the Women's KL2 200m and fourth in the Women's VL2 200m.

At the 2019 ICF Canoe Sprint World Championships, Szeged, Hungary, she won the silver medal in the Women's VL2 200m and bronze medal in the Women's KL2 200m.[19]

At the 2020 Summer Paralympics. Seipel won a silver medal in the Women's VL2 200m with a time of 1:01.481, over 4 seconds longer than the eventual winner Emma Wiggs of Great Britain. Seipel also competed in the Women's KL2 200m and came seventh.[20]

Seipel finished fifth in both the Women's KL2 200m and VL2 200m at the 2022 ICF Canoe Sprint World Championships.

In 2021, she was awarded Paddle Australia's Paracanoeist of the Year.[21]

Seipel trains with the Brisbane Canoeing Club.[8]

References
  1. "World Champions headline first Australian Paralympic Canoe Team". Australian Paralympic Committee News, 16 June 2016. Retrieved 16 June 2016.
  2. "Susan Seipel". Rio Paralympics Official site. Archived from the original on 22 September 2016. Retrieved 16 September 2016.
  3. "Paddling the Road to Rio". The Local Bulletin Brisbane West, July 2016, p.4.
  4. Buchan, Jay (30 October 2015). "Rio focus for Susan after successful sport change". Queensland Times. Retrieved 9 November 2015.
  5. "Susan Seipel- Para Equestrian". Sporting Dreams website. Retrieved 24 August 2015.
  6. Pramberg, Bernie (18 June 2010). "Para-equestrian Susan Seipel aiming high". Courier Mail. Retrieved 24 August 2015.
  7. "Susan Seipel". Paddle Australia. Retrieved 19 September 2021.
  8. "Susan Seipel proud to be wearing green and gold again". Australian Paralympic Committee News, 20 July 2015. Retrieved 24 August 2015.
  9. "Paddling the Road to Rio". The Local Bulletin in Brisbane West, July 2016, p.4.
  10. "Paddling the Road to Rio". The Local Bulletin Brisbane West, July 2016, p.4.
  11. "Susan Seipel - Para Equestrian". Sporting Dreams. {{cite web}}: Missing or empty |url= (help)
  12. Bucan, Jay. "Rio focus for Susan after successful sport change". Queensland Times, 9 November 2015.
  13. "Paddling the Road to Rio". The local Bulletin in Brisbane West, July 2016, p.4.
  14. "Meet Susan Seipel". Horses and people website. Retrieved 24 August 2015.
  15. "Susan Seipel Profile". Australian Canoeing website. Retrieved 24 August 2015.
  16. "McGrath snaps Swoboda's Worlds winning streak". International Paralympic Committee website. Retrieved 19 May 2016.
  17. "McGrath has bumper day". International Canoe Federation website. Retrieved 19 May 2016.
  18. "Golden day for Australia at Para-canoe World Championships". Australian Paralympic Committee News, 265 August 2017. Retrieved 2 September 2017.
  19. "Australia Finishes Success World Champs With More Tickets To Tokyo". Paddle Australia website. 26 August 2019. Retrieved 26 August 2019.
  20. "Australia Names Experienced Para-Canoe Squad For Tokyo". Paralympics Australia. 5 June 2021. Retrieved 6 June 2021.
  21. "Susan Seipel named Paracanoeist of the Year". Paddle Australia. 3 December 2021. Retrieved 6 December 2021.
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