Profile - Eric Boulter

A cycling holiday on the Gold Coast turned to tragedy for Eric Boulter in 1969. At 16 years of age Eric was faced with Paraplegia after a fall at the Nerang Velodrome. All of the field in the 'scratch race' came down in a crash. All riders except Eric escaped without serious injury.

Turning adversity into triumph Eric began to swim and in 1970 he temporarily checked out of hospital to compete for Queensland at the National disabled Championships in Melbourne.

Upon his return to the Gold Coast Eric sought out a coach and was soon training under the guidance of Dave Tomlinson.

Eric Boulter went on to represent Queensland and Australia in the sport of swimming in the ensuing 14 years and retired in1984. He was named captain of the Australian Swim Team at the Paralympics in Heidelberg Germany in 1972 and broke the World Record in taking gold for the 25m backstroke. He also won a silver medal in the 3 x 25m individual medley.

In 1974 Eric was once again selected as captain for the Australian Swim Team to compete at the Commonwealth Games in Dunedin New Zealand. He set a Commonwealth Record in winning gold in the 25m backstroke and also won gold in the 4 x 50 medley relay. Eric also won silver medals in the 25m freestyle and 3 x 25m individual medley.

Eric continued his International sporting career representing Australia at the Fespic Games in 1977 in Sydney. He won a gold medal in the 25m backstroke and silver medals in the 25m freestyle and the pentathlon.

Eric also played wheelchair basketball for Queensland playing every National Championship between 1976 and 1984 when he retired. At the time of writing Eric spends most of his spare leisure time scuba diving.