Athlete Spotlight: Hannah MacDougall

Hannah MacDougall is no stranger to challenges. Just in 2017 the thirty-year-old Paralympian submitted her PhD dissertation, competed at the 2017 UCI Para-cycling Road World Championships and in two different Road Race World Cups, where she won Gold and Silver medals.

Hannah accomplished all of this while volunteering with multiple organizations and for a variety of causes. Any one of these activities alone would be enough to overwhelm even the most capable person, but to Hannah these are integral pieces of her overall health. For her many achievements and dedication to athlete well-being, Hannah was selected as one of our 2017 Athletes in Excellence Award winners. She was nominated by Bernadette Sierwakowski at the Victorian Institute of Sport.

ATHLETE IN EXCELLENCE: HANNAH MACDOUGALL

Athlete well-being is essential to Hannah. In fact, the topic is so important she has focused her PhD work on this very subject. In this space she coaches young and elite athletes how to develop skills and behaviors that will contribute to their overall well-being, such as strong support networks, balanced lifestyle, resilience, mindfulness, and more. You can view her presentation, “Managing the Life of an Elite Athlete,” on YouTube.

COMMUNITY SERVICE

Hannah’s contributions to her community extend beyond coaching athletes on well being. She is an Ambassador for Access for All Abilities, an organization in Melbourne that connects people with disabilities to sports and recreational opportunities. Hannah is also and Ambassador for the Just BU and Start Foundation.

ATHLETIC ACHIEVEMENTS

Hannah started her athletic career as a swimmer, but in recent years she has transitioned to cycling.

• 2002-2003 World Record Holder in the S10 Women’s 50m Backstroke
• 2004 Athens Paralympic Games – Bronze Medal in the 4x100m Female Medley Relay, 4^th in the S10 100m Backstroke
• 2008 Beijing Paralympic Games – Team Captain, competed in the 100m Backstroke
• 2010-2016 Australian Para Road and Track Cycling Championships – Won 1 Gold, 3 Silver, and 10 Bronze Medals in the Women’s C4 classification
• 2016 – UCI Para Track World Championships – 3km Individual Pursuit
• 2017 – Cycling Australia National Championships – First female amputee to compete in elite women’s time trial
• 2014-2017 – UCI Para Road World Cups – 1 Gold, 2 Silver, 2 Bronze Medals in Women’s C4 road races and time trials

Watch Hannah’s award acceptance video below:

Learn more about the Athletes in Excellence Award here.