Alex Harris (swimmer)

{{short description|Australian Paralympic swimmer}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=September 2016}}

{{Use Australian English|date=September 2016}}

{{Infobox swimmer

| name = Alex Harris

| image = 141100 - Swimming Alex Harris action - 3b - 2000 Sydney event photo.jpg

| imagesize =

| caption = Action shot of Harris in the pool at the 2000 Summer Paralympics

| fullname = Alex James Harris

| nicknames = Shakey

| nationality = Australian

| strokes =

| club =

| collegeteam =

| birth_date = {{birth date|1975|1|3|df=y}}

| birth_place = Geelong, Victoria, Australia

| death_date = {{death date and age|2009|10|27|1975|1|3|df=y}}

| death_place = Lara, Victoria, Australia

| height =

| weight =

| medaltemplates =

{{Medal|Sport|Swimming}}

{{Medal|Country|{{AUS}}}}

{{Medal|Competition|Paralympic Games}}

{{Medal|Silver|2000 Sydney|4×100 m freestyle 34pts}}

{{Medal|Silver|2000 Sydney|100 m freestyle S7}}

{{Medal|Bronze|2000 Sydney|50 m freestyle S7}}

{{Medal|Bronze|2000 Sydney|4 x 100 m medley 34pts}}

{{MedalCompetition|IPC Swimming World Championships}}

{{MedalSilver|1998 Christchurch|Men's 50m Freestyle S7}}

{{MedalSilver|2002 Mar Del Plata|Men's 100{{space}}m Freestyle S7}}

{{MedalSilver|2002 Mar Del Plata|Men's 100{{space}}m Freestyle Relay 34 pts}}

{{MedalBronze|2002 Mar Del Plata|Men's 50{{space}}m Freestyle S7}}

| show-medals = yes

}}

{{Spoken Wikipedia|Alex_Harris.ogg|date=2011-12-21}}

File:141100 - Swimming 4 x 100m freestyle 34pts Alex Harris Cameron De Burgh Ben Austin Scott Brockenshire silver medals - 3b - 2000 Sydney medal photo.jpg, Ben Austin and Scott Brockenshire with their silver medals which they won as the Australian men's 4 × 100 m freestyle relay 34pts team at the 2000 Summer Paralympics]]

Alex James Harris (3 January 1975 – 27 October 2009) was an Australian Paralympic swimmer, who represented Australia at the 2000 Summer Paralympics in Sydney and the 2004 Summer Paralympics in Athens.

Harris was born in Geelong, Victoria, and attended Western Heights College where he was a champion sportsman and school captain. In 1993, aged 18, he was involved in a traffic collision at Breamlea when the car in which Harris and several friends were travelling was struck by another vehicle. One of the car's occupants was killed, and Harris was pulled from the car by a volunteer firefighter who heard the crash.{{Cite news |title=Paralympian salutes his smash hero |author=Lannen, Danny |newspaper=Geelong Advertiser |date=22 October 2009 |url=http://www.geelongadvertiser.com.au/article/2009/10/22/114151_news.html }} He was airlifted to The Alfred Hospital in Melbourne, and was not expected to live. The accident left him with a closed head injury to his brain. Whilst undergoing physical therapy to enable him to walk again, Harris discovered that he could still swim very well.{{Cite news |title=Frank advice for Geelong Paralympian |author=Lannen, Danny |newspaper=Geelong Advertiser |date=17 October 2009 |url=http://www.geelongadvertiser.com.au/article/2009/10/17/112861_news.html }}

Harris was selected to represent Australia in swimming at the 2000 Summer Paralympics in Sydney. He won a silver medal in the 100 m freestyle S7 and was a member of the 4 × 100 m freestyle 34 pts relay team which also won a silver medal. He won bronze medals in the 50 m freestyle S7 and in the 4 x 100 m medley.{{cite web|title=Alex Harris - IPC Historical Results Database|url=http://www.paralympic.org/ipc_results/search.php?sport=all&games=all&medal=all&npc=all&name=Harris&fname=Alex&gender=all|publisher=International Paralympic Committee (IPC)|access-date=24 August 2012|archive-date=3 March 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160303235007/http://www.paralympic.org/ipc_results/search.php?sport=all&games=all&medal=all&npc=all&name=Harris&fname=Alex&gender=all|url-status=dead}} He competed in the 2002 Commonwealth Games in Manchester, coming 6th and 10th in the 50 m and 100 m freestyle MD events respectively. At the 2004 Summer Paralympics in Athens, Harris competed in four events (100 m breaststroke SB7, 100 m freestyle S7, 50 m butterfly S7, 50 m freestyle S7) but did not win further medals. He also participated in the 2006 Commonwealth Games in Melbourne.[http://melbourne2006.com.au/Participants/Participants?ID=110397 Biography: HARRIS Alex James] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080801212256/http://melbourne2006.com.au/Participants/Participants?ID=110397 |date=1 August 2008 }}, 2006 Commonwealth Games.

Harris was due to undergo deep brain stimulation surgery in October 2009, which would have involved insertion of electrodes into his brain to calm his uncontrollable movements.{{Cite news |title=Paralympic champ's fight to swim again |author=Lannen, Danny |newspaper=Geelong Advertiser |date=14 October 2009 |url=http://www.geelongadvertiser.com.au/article/2009/10/14/111551_news.html }} On 27 October 2009, days before the operation was scheduled, Harris took his own life by being struck by a train on a level crossing at Lara, Victoria.{{Cite news |title=EDITORIAL: Tragic end to a brave life |newspaper=Geelong Advertiser |date=28 October 2009 |url=http://www.geelongadvertiser.com.au/article/2009/10/28/116025_opinion.html |access-date=30 October 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091031092400/http://www.geelongadvertiser.com.au/article/2009/10/28/116025_opinion.html |archive-date=31 October 2009 |url-status=dead }}

Harris was a member of the Australian swimming community known for both his swimming achievements and for his efforts outside the pool, inspiring and motivating other swimmers.[http://www.geelongadvertiser.com.au/article/2009/11/03/117641_news.html Hundreds farewell Geelong Paralympian Alex Harris - Local News - Geelong, VIC, Australia]