Samantha Schmidt
{{short description|Australian Paralympic athlete}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2021}}
{{Use Australian English|date=August 2021}}
{{Infobox sportsperson
| name = Samantha Schmidt
| image =
| caption =
| headercolor = green
| textcolor = yellow
| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|2001|10|10|df=yes}}
| birth_place =
| height =
| weight =
| nationality = Australian
| disability_class = F38
| club = Bundaberg Athletic Club
| coach = Ralph Newton
| medaltemplates=
}}
Samantha Schmidt (born 10 October 2001) is an Australian Paralympic athlete. She represented Australia at the 2020 Tokyo Paralympics and the 2024 Paris Paralympics. {{Cite web |date=16 July 2024 |title=Fearnley Protégé Among Newest Members Of Australian Paralympic Team {{!}} Paralympics Australia |url=https://www.paralympic.org.au/2024/07/fearnley-protege-among-newest-members-of-australian-paralympic-team/ |access-date=2024-07-22 |website=www.paralympic.org.au |language=en-AU}}{{Cite web |date=23 July 2021 |title=Para-athletics Team Set To 'Do What Australia Does Best' At Tokyo 2020 |url=https://www.paralympic.org.au/2021/07/para-athletics-team-set-to-do-what-australia-does-best-at-tokyo-2020/ |access-date=23 July 2021 |website=Paralympics Australia}}
Early life
Samanatha Schmidt was born on 10 October 2001 to Gemina Moore and David Schmidt.{{Cite book |url=https://www.paralympic.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/PA_Tokyo2020MediaGuide_AUS_FINAL_web.pdf |title=Media Guide Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games |publisher=Paralympics Australia |year=2021 |location=Sydney}} Schmidt has cerebral palsy,{{Cite news |last=Schlennstedt |first=Derek |date=29 August 2020 |title=Bundaberg para-athlete aims for Tokyo 2021 |work=Bundaberg Now |url=https://www.bundabergnow.com/2020/08/29/bundaberg-para-athlete-aims-for-tokyo/ |access-date=3 August 2021}} and is of Wakawaka and Gubbi Gubbi descent.{{Cite web |title=Samantha Schmidt |url=https://www.paralympic.org.au/athlete/samantha-schmidt/ |access-date=21 August 2021 |website=Paralympics Australia |date=13 August 2021}} She attended Bundaberg State High School and lives in Bundaberg, Queensland.
Athletics career
Schmidt picked up a discus at the age of five and is classified as F38 thrower.{{Cite news |last=Reid |first=Emma |date=24 July 2021 |title=Samantha Schmidt's Paralympics dream comes true |work=Bundaberg Now |url=https://www.bundabergnow.com/2021/07/24/samantha-schmidts-paralympics-dream-comes-true/ |access-date=3 August 2021}} She was the national champion for open women para discus and javelin in 2018, and she was chosen for the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic discus shadow squad in 2020.
In March 2021, Schmidt threw a personal best 33.66 m, setting a new national and Oceania record.{{Cite web |date=19 March 2019 |title=History made at Sydney Track Classic |url=https://athleticsillustrated.com/history-made-at-sydney-track-classic/ |access-date=3 August 2021 |website=Athletics Illustrated}}
At the 2020 Tokyo Paralympics, she finished sixth in the Women's Discus F38 with a distance of 30:26.{{Cite web |title=Samantha Schmidt |url=https://olympics.com/tokyo-2020/paralympic-games/en/results/athletics/athlete-profile-n1415985-schmidt-samantha.htm |access-date=30 September 2021 |work=Tokyo 2020 Paralympics |publisher=Tokyo Organising Committee of the Olympic and Paralympic Games |archive-date=30 September 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210930063526/https://olympics.com/tokyo-2020/paralympic-games/en/results/athletics/athlete-profile-n1415985-schmidt-samantha.htm |url-status=dead}} She finished fifth in the Women's Discus F38 at the 2023 World Para Athletics Championships. At the 2024 Paris Paralympics, she finished seventh in the Women's Discus throw F38.{{Cite web |title=Australian Athletics Results |url=https://athletics.possumbility.com/athletes/athlete7803.htm |access-date=25 September 2024 |website=athletics.possumbility.com}}
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- [https://www.athletics.com.au/athlete/samantha-schmidt/ Samantha Schmidt] at Australian Athletics
- [https://athletics.possumbility.com/athletes/athlete7803.htm Samantha Schmidt] at Australian Athletics Historical Results
- {{Paralympics Australia|samantha-schmidt}}
- {{IPC|samantha-schmidt}}
- [https://web.archive.org/web/20241108174013/https://olympics.com/en/paris-2024-paralympics/athlete/samantha-schmidt_3415317 Samantha Schmidt] at the Paris 2024 Summer Paralympics (archived, [https://paris2024.rtve.es/es/paris-2024-paralimpicos/atleta/samantha-schmidt_3415317 alternate link])
{{IWMF awards}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Schmidt, Samantha}}
Category:Australian female discus throwers
Category:Paralympic athletes for Australia
Category:Athletes (track and field) at the 2020 Summer Paralympics
Category:Athletes (track and field) at the 2024 Summer Paralympics
Category:Cerebral Palsy category Paralympic competitors
Category:Track and field athletes with cerebral palsy
Category:Indigenous Australian Paralympians
Category:Sportspeople from Bundaberg
Category:Athletes from Queensland