An 11-year-old indoor para skydiver from Daisy Hill is getting ready to defend his title at the Australian Open Indoor Skydiving Championships in Sydney this August.
Heath Lehr – who has level two Autism, ADHD, Body Dyspraxia, hypermobility and short term and long term memory deficits – currently holds the Australian Title in the Para (disability) indoor skydiving division (formally known as Handi-Fly) and will be returning to the championships this year to defend his title and compete in other categories for the first time.
Heath said he would be competing in three or four different categories this year.
“I will compete in the Para flying division to try defend my title,” he said.
“I am also doing my two-way flying with my instructor and teammate Jye Milwright. And I am trying Body Piloting for the first time ever, and maybe I’ll join a four-person team if I can.”
“I will do my best and if I get a medal that is even better, but I am more excited to see my friends from the Sydney tunnel.”
The Para indoor skydiving division is open to anyone living with a disability and it is open age which means kids, teenagers and adults all compete against each other.
Heath’s mum Brooke Lehr said the competition was in a race format.
“Each person enters the tunnel and competes against the clock to hit targets in a certain order while performing 360 or 540 degree spins between each target,” she said.
“If the target is missed or done in the incorrect order, time penalties are added on to the clock.”
“In last year’s Australian titles, we had teams from all across the world compete, so it is a huge event, which we hope will gain momentum and publicity for the Para Division to get notice possibly for the Brisbane Games.”
Mrs Lehr said Heath also qualified to compete in the World Series this year, although he was unable to attend some of the events, as they were spread across Europe.
Heath said his love for the sport kept growing and his goal was to become an instructor.
“I love everything, my instructors are all like my big brothers and support me,” he said.
“I love doing new tricks and flying with everyone.”
“My goal is to become an instructor for iFly and become a tandem instructor for outdoor jumps.”
Mrs Lehr said Heath had always been an adrenaline junkie.
“Heath loves everything that is adrenaline based,” she said.
“We just want Heath to continue to love what he does and not lose the passion for the sport.”
“We see him ruling the skies in years to come.”
Heath will be competing in the Australian Open Indoor Skydiving Championships from Friday, 14 August to Sunday, 16 August at iFly in Sydney.
Subscribe to stay up-to-date with news from across Logan. You’ll receive a link to our digital newspaper direct to your inbox each week. It’s free.
