Michael Milton
- Achievements
- Adventure Sport
- Goal Setting
- Inspirational
- Motivational
- Paralympian
- Sport
- Success
As one of Australia’s most successful athletes Michael Milton is no stranger to a battle.
He lost his left leg to bone cancer at nine, competed in his first Paralympic Games at 14 and won Australia’s first ever winter gold medal at just 19… a full decade before Steven Bradbury’s Olympic gold medal.
In an international ski racing career spanning 20 years, he won 22 medals, 12 of them gold. He is Australia’s fastest ever skier and the world’s fastest skier with a disability. He’s scaled Mt Kilimanjaro and walked the Kokoda Track twice.
After competing in his fifth winter Paralympic Games, Michael turned his sights on cycling and won the 3000m pursuit at the Australian Track Cycling Championships and went on to race at his first summer Paralympic Games in Beijing.
He’s represented Australia in four different sports – ski racing, speed skiing, para-triathlon and para-cycling. He holds world records for the fastest five kilometres running on crutches, the fastest marathon running on crutches and the fastest skier with a disability.
In 2024 the Sport Australia Hall of Fame recognised Michael as the 51st Legend of Australian Sport, joining the likes of Dawn Fraser, Don Bradman, Rod Laver and Cathy Freeman.
Last year, after retiring from ski racing 20 years ago, Michael decided to return to ski racing. At 52 years of age he funded his own comeback and qualified to race at the Milano Cortina Paralympic Games in all five events. But three weeks out from the Games, he fell in training and broke his femur. Surgery followed and lots of rest and then, on 9th March, he stood in the start gate for the Super Giant Slalom, marking an incredible return and his seventh Paralympic Games.
Michael Milton knows what it takes to win… and that’s not just on the sporting field.
He is a three-time cancer survivor, the third diagnosed just over two years: three primary cancers, seemingly unrelated, at 9 years of age, 34 and 50 and yet he is still here. In an interview following his elevation to Australian Sporting Legend, Michael said “I’m pretty happy this isn’t being awarded posthumously.”
He kicks goals in the business world too. Many of you will know that Michael is the founder and owner of Australia’s most magical store, Quizzic Alley in Canberra. A store dedicated to the Harry Potter franchise, it’s been delivering on the dreams of witches and wizards of all ages for over seven years.
- The Comeback Project: Why it's never too late to chase a dream
- Three Cancers, Seven Paralympics and One Question: What really matters?
- Success Isn't What Happens On The Podium: Lessons from failure, setbacks and disappointment
Michael thank you for such an inspiring presentation. Your story is truly amazing… your strength, courage and passion for life is contagious. Your bar is set high and it has left many of us thinking about our own personal and professional goals. Good luck with your future endeavours… I get the feeling there are many more chapters to be added to the Michael Milton story.
Thank you for your contribution to our 10th Anniversary celebrations. You made a deep impression on all the participants! I was delighted with your contribution and as I had imagined, your thoughts, approach and insights provided us with a wonderful beginning to what were to prove an excellent couple of days. The participants remarked on your tenacity, persistence, spirit, enthusiasm and courage. To have someone display these qualities with such transparency, was a gift to us and you left your mark on the memories of all of us who had the privilege to listen to you. Thanks for giving us a piece of yourself, and thanks for your openness, the demonstration of risk taking, hard work and a confidence to back yourself, all important qualities for us to take into our next ten years.
Your speech, highlighting some of the positive things about having a disability, and the incredible problem solving skills disability requires a person to develop certainly bought home this aspect of the day for me. The feedback from my colleagues has been very positive; the thought of skiing down an almost vertical slope certainly made an impression! It was a pleasure to meet you, and thank you for sharing your experiences with us.