They don’t come any livelier than the boy from the bush! Entertaining, motivational and an all round larrikin; Don represented Australia in the athletics at four World Championships, three Paralympic Games, two World Cups and a Commonwealth Games.
Don Elgin was raised in the NSW town of Tocumwal. Being born without the lower portion of his left leg was no barrier for this boy who would make his first Australian team at 18 years of age, become a World Champion and – a staggering 20 years later – represent Australia at the Commonwealth Games.
One of the longest serving scholarship holders at the Victorian Institute of Sport, Don competed in the Sydney 2000 Paralympic Games, where he won bronze in the Pentathlon. Two years later he finished with a Silver medal at the 2002 IPC World Championships. At the 2004 Athens Paralympic Games he became a triple Paralympic medalist winning one Silver and two Bronze.
As a respected voice on sport both on and off the track, Don commentated at the 2006 Commonwealth Games in Melbourne and appeared on Andrew Denton’s ABC TV show Enough Rope. The inaugural patron of Disability Professionals Victoria, he is a former president of Sandringham Athletics Club and former vice President of The Amputee Association of Victoria. Don is a founding board member for the Start Foundation and the inaugural ambassador for New Horizons Club, and a current board member for Wallara Australia Ltd.
A natural leader, Don was the Australian flag bearer at the 2006 World championships and went on to become the Australian Track and Field team manager at the London 2012 Paralympic Games. He made a successful return to sport to compete at the 2014 Glasgow Commonwealth Games. In 2015 Don added author to his credentials releasing his first book called ONE FOOT ON THE PODIUM. The book won a Silver medal 2016 Independent Publisher Book Awards Australia/New Zealand – best regional non-fiction. In 2016 Don completed the Kokoda Trail. Don will release his second book later this year.
Away from the sporting arena Don is a highly sought-after motivational speaker and the founder and director of StarAmp Global, a boutique management Company representing some of Australia’s finest amputee talent.
Excellent. Don was very personable, able and willing to deal with people from Director level to young trainees. His performance had the audience in raptures and offered a range of emotions from laughter to poignant comment.
Melbourne East Group TrainingDon was engaging, honest and most of all down to earth in his approach and delivery. He certainly showed the audience what we are capable of and to the topic of leadership which is what we asked Don to reflect, he inspired our staff to show that if you do set your mind to it, you can achieve anything.
Cummins FiltrationI thought Don was the perfect choice and I wasn't disappointed. He doesn't just inspire you for the hour he speaks, he leaves you with a lasting impression that I know will last a lifetime.
Nillumbik Shire Council
Don was an outstanding success. His bright, engaging personality, and natural sense of humour meant that staff could relate to him. Don is an ordinary person with an extraordinary story. Don is certainly entertaining, but more than that, he is positively inspirational.
Australia Post