HORRIE Erik

Classification
PR1 (worldrowing.com, 03 Jun 2021)

Type of Impairment
Spinal Cord Injuries (dailytelegraph.com.au, 04 Oct 2013)

Origin of Impairment
Acquired (dailytelegraph.com.au, 04 Oct 2013)

Impairment Details
He has paraplegia as a result of being involved in a car accident at age 21. (dailytelegraph.com.au, 04 Oct 2013)

General
SEIZURES AT LONDON 2012
After qualifying third in his heat for the arms only single sculls event at the 2012 Paralympic Games in London, he suffered a seizure and was taken to hospital. He sustained a further two seizures in the ambulance on the way to hospital and was kept overnight for observation. Following discussions with his medical team and coaches, he decided to compete in the final and believes the incident helped him to win the silver medal. "It took the pressure off me in a way. I was more focused on doing a good race and not focused on the pressure to do well." (rowingaustralia.com.au, 31 Aug 2019; worldrowing.com, 15 Mar 2013)

MENTAL HEALTH STRUGGLES
He struggled with his mental health ahead of the 2016 Paralympic Games in Rio de Janeiro, which led to him calling a mental health helpline and being placed under suicide watch for 48 hours. "Leading up to Rio, I hit rock bottom. I had separated from my partner, was away from my kids, and I was so focused on winning that gold medal, that I didn't realise my whole attitude was just so negative. It took a long time for me to turn things around. Being in hospital was a reality check but I still couldn't see how negative I was and that my anger was affecting the people around me. Even 15 months later at Rio, when I missed out on gold, one of the first things that someone said to me was, 'What happened? You were supposed to win'. It sent me to a dark place. It was expectations. Not just everyone else's but my own. I made one mistake, 210 metres from the line, which cost me that gold medal and everyone kept focusing in on that, but no one had seen what was going on 15 months prior to that. Getting to the podium was a big deal for me. 12 months before, I thought I was done and felt I had nothing." (tokyo2020.org, 11 Jun 2020)

OTHER ACTIVITIES
He serves as a member of the Rowing Australia Athletes' Commission and also as a lifeline community custodian for the Australian Institute of Sport [AIS], a programme that helps raise awareness for mental health issues. "It's very easy to hide how broken you are inside as an athlete, because society focuses on our physical strength, but I want people to see through my story that it is not a weakness to ask for help. I've always told my story about growing up in foster care or becoming a paraplegic, but had never given much thought to how much my own mental health story could make a difference. Talking to people about my story has been cathartic and a way for me to continue healing." (Twitter profile, 20 Feb 2020; rowingaustralia.com.au, 25 Jan 2020; tokyo2020.org, 11 Jun 2020)