NZ Paralympian Canoeist
PETER COWAN
Ngāti Kahungunu, Ngāti Tuwharetoa, Ngāti Kauwhata, Hāmoa.
Peter is a dedicated and resilient athlete who discovered his passion for paddling following a life-changing accident at age 15. While training for the IronMāori triathlon, he was struck by an oncoming car, an event that led him to make the courageous decision to amputate his injured leg. In his final year of high school, Peter found paddling and quickly embraced the sport, setting him on a remarkable athletic journey.
Now 28 years old, he has since excelled on the world stage, earning two golds and a silver at the World Waka Ama Championships, and finishing fourth at the 2018 ICF Canoe Sprint World Championships. In 2022, Peter competed at the ICF Canoe Sprint and ParaCanoe World Championships, placing 8th in the VL3 event.
Peter continued to demonstrate his competitive prowess at the 2023 World Championships in Germany, where he placed 9th in the VL3 200m event in one of the closest finals of the competition. He is a proud member of Haeata Ocean Sports Inc. and Hawkes Bay Kayak Racing Club.
In May 2024, Peter added to his list of achievements by winning a silver medal at the ICF Paracanoe World Championships in Szeged, narrowly missing out on gold by just 0.071 seconds. His outstanding performance earned him a spot on the New Zealand Paralympic Team for the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games winning a Bronze medal for Men's VL3 200m.
Becoming a Paralympian is an important achievement for Peter and his family, who have supported him throughout his journey. It has been a long-term goal, and now that Peter has reached it, he has a greater understanding of what it takes to get to this level.
Peter’s journey from adversity to becoming a top-tier paracanoe athlete is a testament to his perseverance, passion, and drive to excel in the sport he loves.