Rene Hardenbol

Rene Hardenbol, OAM At the age of 12 months, he was diagnosed with behavioural autism.

At the 1992 Paralympic Games for Persons with Mental Handicap, Madrid, Spain, he won five gold medals in the Men's 200 m Backstroke, Men's 4 x 50 m Freestyle Relay, Men's 4 × 100 m Freestyle Relay, Men's 4 x 50 m Medley Relay, Men's 4 × 100 m Medley Relay and two silver medals in the Men's 100 m Freestyle and Men's 200 m Breaststroke. He set a world record in the 200m Backstroke. After the Games, he was offered an Australian Institute of Sport Athlete with a Disability scholarship. 1991 - City of Gosnells Certificate of Merit for Meritorious Achievement in the field of Swimming 1994 - Caltex Sports Person of the Year, Special Olympics category 2000 - Australian Sports Medal 2014 - Victoria Park Sporting Walk of Fame