Mel Leckie

Melissa Katherine Leckie (7 February 1984 – 4 November 2022) was an Australian Paralympic cyclist. She competed at the 2008 Beijing Paralympics. Leckie was also a disability services and anti-bullying advocate.

Personal life Leckie was born on 7 February 1984. She was bullied at school as she was shorter than other classmates. On 12 June 2001, Leckie became a paraplegic after she returned to her old school and jumped from third floor in a suicide attempt. She undertook a Bachelor of Education, Junior Primary and Primary at the University of South Australia.

Leckie was an advocate for disability services. In 2012, she interrupted a speech by Prime Minister Julia Gillard at disability services conference in Sydney. She highlighted that disability pension was only 57 per cent of national minimum wage.

Sport As a child, Leckie was a talented gymnast and diver. In 2002, after becoming a paraplegic, she raced against Louise Sauvage in the Adelaide's City-Bay Fun Run.

Leckie took up hand-cycling in 2006 and busked in Adelaide's Rundle Mall to purchase a hand-cycle. In March 2007, she competed in her first race - Wild West Handcycling Tour in Perth. In 2007, she won two silver medals at a world championship event in France. Leckie was a category B hand cyclist and competed against more able Category C cyclists.

Leckie was an Australian Paralympic Committee Talent Search athlete and held a South Australian Sports Institute scholarship.