Brayden Davidson

Brayden Duane Davidson (born 25 October 1997) is an Australian track and field para-athlete who competes mainly in the T36 classification events. He won a bronze medal at the 2015 IPC Athletics World Championships.

Personal Davidson was born on 25 October 1997 and has mild cerebral palsy. He has attended Reynella East College in Adelaide.

Sporting career In September 2011, Davidson attended an Australian Paralympic Committee talent search day at Santos Stadium. He then went on to compete in the T36 classification in long jump at the 2013 IPC Athletics World Championships

At the 2014 Australian Athletics Championships held in Melbourne, Davidson won silver in the men's 200m and long jump ambulant events.

In March 2015 Davidson competed at the Australian Junior Athletics Championships held in Sydney. He won gold in long jump, 100m and 400m and achieved a personal best and a new Australian record in the T36 class for long jump. Davidson then went on to win gold and achieved a world record in the men's ambulant long jump at the 2015 Australian Athletics Championships in Brisbane. He also won silver in the men's 200m ambulant and he reached the finals in the men's 100m ambulant event. These results have made him an A-Qualifier for the International Paralympic Committee Athletics World Championships in Doha.

At the 2015 IPC Athletics World Championships in Doha, he won the bronze medal in the Men's Long Jump T36. Davidson dedicated the medal to his grandmother, who encouraged him to become involved in athletics as a child.

Davidson won the gold medal in the Men's Long Jump T36 at the 2016 Rio Paralympics with a jump of 5.62 m, a personal best by 11 cm. He won the gold medal on a count back due to having the second best jump. He dedicated his win to his late grandparents who were central to his pursuit of para-sport. He was awarded the Order of Australia Medal in 2017.

At the 2017 World Para Athletics Championships in London, England, Davidson won the bronze medal in the Men's Long Jump T36 with a leap of 5.39m (+0.2). He finished eight in the Men's 100 T36 (13.29s (+0.1).

He is coached by Lynn Larsen.

Recognition 2015 – South Australian Sports Institute Athlete with a Disability 2016 – South Australian Sports Institute Athlete with a Disability and Elite Athlete with a Disability of the Year at the Advertiser/Channel 7 Sport Star of the Year awards 2017 - Elite Athlete with a Disability of the Year at the Advertiser/Channel 7 Sport Star of the Year.