FAIRBANK Pierre

Classification
T53 (IPC, 23 Aug 2021)

Type of Impairment
Spinal Cord Injuries (Athlete, 23 Oct 2015)

Origin of Impairment
Acquired (Athlete, 23 Oct 2015)

Impairment Details
His impairment is a result of the effects of myelitis, which causes inflammation of the spinal cord. (Athlete, 20 Aug 2018)

General
FROM CALEDONIA TO MAINLAND FRANCE AND BACK
In 1993 he left New Caledonia for Toulouse in mainland France to continue his studies. He later relocated to Montpellier where he took up more serious training in Para athletics and was called up to the French national team in 1998. He then earned his diploma as a Para sports educator and returned to New Caledonia. "I applied for a job as a Para sport education professional and began working with school children [in New Caledonia]. Sport motivates people to improve and allows people with an impairment to become more autonomous. This creates a social link that is needed in order to be happy." (dicodusport.fr, 01 May 2018; telestar.fr, 15 Jul 2017)

OTHER ACTIVITIES
He has served as a councillor for the city of Noumea, New Caledonia, as vice-president of the accessibility commission. "I have worked to make the city more accessible. We were behind in comparison with Australia and New Zealand, and we tried to fill this gap." (la1ere.francetvinfo.fr, 20 Apr 2019; noumea.nc, 05 Apr 2018)

HERITAGE
He was born in Hienghene in New Caledonia, a French territory and collection of islands in the South Pacific. His current place of residence is Noumea, New Caledonia. (la1ere.francetvinfo.fr, 02 Mar 2021)

At the 2013 World Championships in Lyon, France, his bronze medal in the T53 200m event made him the first French Para athletics competitor to have won eight career medals at the world championships. At the 2017 World Championships in London, England, he became the first French Para athletics competitor to win 13 and then 14 career world championship medals. His compatriot Marie-Amelie Le Fur was the first French Para athletics competitor to win 10, 11 and 12 career world championship medals, which she achieved at the 2015 edition. (SportsDeskOnline, 01 Jan 2021)