Ray Epstein
Ramon (Ray) Gary Epstein,
Personal
Epstein was born in Brisbane. He became a paraplegic in 1972 following a gym accident.[4] He became a member of the Sporting Wheelies and Disabled Association in 1977 and competed in a number of sports including wheelchair basketball and athletics before focusing on weightlifting.[4]
He was admitted as a Chartered Accountant in 1985[5] and joined the Sporting Wheelies and Disabled Association as Administration and Finance Manager in 1990.[6] He was the chief executive officer of the Association from 1998 to December 2016,[6] and was appointed to the Board of the Queensland Academy of Sport in 2008.[7]
In 2002, his wife Vicki wrote the book Step by step we conquer : the story of Queensland's Sporting Wheelies and Disabled Association.[8]
Sporting career
Epstein competed in state, national and international weightlifting/powerlifting (bench press) competitions for athletes with a disability from 1979 to 1995. He took a break from competition in 1983–84 to pursue a professional qualification in accounting. He represented Australia at 12 international competitions, including the 1988 Seoul Paralympic Games and 1992 Barcelona Games, where he was male Captain of the Australian Team.[9][10]
His career highlights included silver medals at the World Wheelchair Weightlifting Championships in 1990 (
Following his retirement in 1995, he became an accredited IPC Powerlifting Referee.[16]
Coaching career
Epstein started coaching towards the end of his lifting career due to a shortage of powerlifting coaching staff in Australia at that time. He was appointed Assistant National Coach Powerlifting in 1999 and became National Head Coach Powerlifting in 2003.[17]
He was Assistant Coach of the powerlifting team at the 2000 Sydney Paralympics[2] and Head Coach for the 2004 Athens, 2008 Beijing, and 2012 London Paralympic Games.[18][19][20]
Notable powerlifters coached by Epstein include dual Paralympic silver medalist Darren Gardiner, Abebe Fekadu, and pioneering female lifters Julie Russell and Deahnne McIntyre.[20][21][22]
He announced his retirement as Australian Paralympic Powerlifting head coach in July 2013.[3]
Recognition
Epstein was awarded a Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM) in the 1994 Queen's Birthday Honours List for services to people with a disability and the sport of weightlifting,[1] and received an Australian Sports Medal in 2000.[23] He was named the Coach of the Year by the Sporting Wheelies and Disabled Association in 1998, 2004, and 2006.[15] He won the Inspiring Individual Award at the 2014 Queensland Disability Awards. At the 2016 Queensland Sport Awards, he was awarded a Service to Sport Award.[24]
References
- ^ a b "Ramon Gary Epstein". It's An Honour Website. Retrieved 22 October 2020.
- ^ a b Australian Media Guide : Sydney 2000 Paralympic games. Sydney: Australian Paralympic Committee. 2000.
- ^ a b Wake, Rebekka (2 July 2013). "Epstein ends decorated powerlifting career". Australian Paralympic Committee. Archived from the original on 3 January 2014. Retrieved 8 July 2013.
- ^ a b "Sports are a big lift for Ramon". Brisbane Telegraph. 6 September 1985.
- ^ a b "Profile – Ray Epstein ACA". Queensland Bulletin. The Institute of Chartered Accountants in Australia: 9. November 1994.
- ^ a b "Meet our team". Sporting Wheelies and Disabled Association. Retrieved 8 August 2012.
- ^ "Queensland Academy of Sport Board appointments". Queensland Government Ministerial Media Statements. 10 November 2010. Retrieved 31 May 2012.
- ISBN 0958529191.
- ^ a b "Weightlifting champ leads Paralympic wheelies team". Northern News. 21 May 1992.
- ^ "Athlete Search Results". International Paralympic Committee. Retrieved 11 June 2012.
- ^ "Ready to wheel in the gold". Sunday Telegraph. 7 June 1992.
- ^ "Epstein home with three gold medals and two world records". Brisbane Weekend Times. 23 October 1993. p. 56.
- ^ "Gold for Ray". Northern News. 5 May 1994. p. 39.
- ISBN 174013060X.
- ^ a b "QAS Board". Queensland Academy of Sport. Archived from the original on 30 November 2011. Retrieved 8 August 2012.
- ^ "Powerlifting: International Technical Officials" (PDF). International Paralympic Committee. Retrieved 30 July 2012.
- ^ "Annual Report 2002-2003". Australian Paralympic Committee. 2003.
- ^ Media Guide Athens 2004 (PDF). Sydney: Australian Paralympic Committee. 2004. Retrieved 30 July 2012.[permanent dead link]
- Australian Paralympic Committee. 6 September 2008. Archived from the originalon 2 August 2012. Retrieved 30 July 2012.
- ^ Australian Paralympic Committee. 18 July 2012. Archived from the originalon 31 July 2012. Retrieved 30 July 2012.
- The Hobart Mercury. 18 October 2000. p. 56.
- Australian Paralympic Committee. Archived from the originalon 1 August 2012. Retrieved 30 July 2012.
- ^ "Epstein, Ramon: Australian Sports Medal". It's An Honour Website. Retrieved 31 May 2012.
- ^ "Sports Awards". QSport website. Retrieved 8 December 2016.