Niki Birrell
{{Short description|British Paralympic sailor (born 1976)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}}
{{Infobox sailor
| name = Niki Birrell
| image =
| caption =
| full_name = Niki James Birrell
| nationality = British
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1976|8|16|df=yes}}
| birth_place = Manchester, England
| death_date =
| death_place =
| height =
| weight =
| club = Weymouth and Portland National Sailing Academy
| show-medals = yes
| medaltemplates =
{{MedalSport | Sailing }}
{{MedalCountry | {{GBR2}} }}
{{MedalCompetition | Paralympic Games }}
{{MedalBronze | 2012 London | Mixed Two Person SKUD18 }}
{{MedalBronze | 2016 Rio | Mixed Two Person SKUD18 }}
}}
Niki James Birrell (born 16 August 1976) is a British Paralympic sailor. Alongside Alexandra Rickham, he has won four IFDS World Championship titles and in the 2012 Summer Paralympics the pair took the bronze medal in the SKUD 18 two person keelboat class.
Sailing
Birrell, who was born with cerebral palsy & down syndrome, began sailing at a young age after being introduced to the hobby by his father. He and his brother Christian became a competing pair and in 2002 they were selected for the British team in the 420 class.{{cite news |title=Meet the team |url=http://www.teambirrellrickham.com/Site/THE_TEAM.html |accessdate=24 November 2012 |publisher=teambirrellrickham.com}}
Birrell competed in the 2008 Paralympic Sailing Competition in the SKUD 18 two person keelboat class alongside teammate Alexandra Rickham, where he finished fifth. Between 2009 and 2011 Birrell and Rickham have won four IFDS World Championship titles.
Birrell was selected to represent Great Britain at the 2012 Summer Paralympics held in London, United Kingdom.{{cite news |title=Alex Rickham |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/olympics/paralympic-sport/paralympics-gb/8725605/Alex-Rickham-Paralympics-GB-London-2012-Olympics.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120728042313/http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/olympics/paralympic-sport/paralympics-gb/8725605/Alex-Rickham-Paralympics-GB-London-2012-Olympics.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=28 July 2012 |accessdate=23 August 2012 |newspaper=The Telegraph}} He competed in the SKUD 2-person keelboat event with Rickham, for which they took the bronze medal.{{cite news |title=Paralympics 2012: Britain's Helena Lucas wins sailing gold |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/disability-sport/19493574 |date=6 September 2012 |accessdate=24 November 2012 |newspaper=BBC Sport}}
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- {{World Sailing|id=GBRNB29|www=niki-birrell}}
- {{IPC profile|niki-birrell|id2=1500099}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Birrell, Niki}}
Category:British male sailors (sport)
Category:Paralympic sailors for Great Britain
Category:Paralympic bronze medalists for Great Britain
Category:Paralympic medalists in sailing
Category:Sailors at the 2008 Summer Paralympics
Category:Sailors at the 2012 Summer Paralympics
Category:Sailors at the 2016 Summer Paralympics
Category:Medalists at the 2012 Summer Paralympics
Category:Medalists at the 2016 Summer Paralympics
Category:Sportspeople from Manchester
Category:21st-century British sportsmen
{{UK-sport-bio-stub}}