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The National Portrait Gallery acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of Country throughout Australia and recognises the continuing connection to lands, waters and communities. We pay our respect to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures and to Elders both past and present.

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander viewers are warned that this website contains images of deceased persons.

The Gallery’s Acknowledgement of Country, and information on culturally sensitive and restricted content and the use of historic language in the collection can be found here.

Michael Milton

2012
Dave Tacon

type C photograph on paper (sheet: 48.2 cm x 34.6 cm, image: 40.6 cm x 26.9 cm)

Michael Milton OAM (b. 1973), Paralympic skier, cyclist and triathlete, is Australia's most decorated Winter Paralympian. Having begun skiing as a three-year-old, Milton developed bone cancer at the age of nine and had his left leg amputated above the knee. Inspired to continue the sport after seeing a film of a one-legged person skiing, Milton competed in five Winter Paralympic Games, the first at the age of fourteen. During his career, he won eleven Paralympic medals (six gold) and eleven World Championships medals (six gold). Following the 2002 Paralympics he took up speed skiing, and soon became the first person with a disability to ski at more than 200km per hour. He began cycling in 2006 and won a gold medal at the 2007 Australia Track Cycling Championships. After battling oesophageal cancer, he competed in cycling at the 2008 Beijing Summer Paralympics. Besides his sporting achievements, Milton is regarded as inspirational for feats such as climbing Mount Kilimanjaro and walking the Kokoda Track twice. However, he dislikes being characterised as courageous. 'The really important things in life are family, friends and having fun. None of those things has anything to do with how many legs you have,' he has said.

Dave Tacon took this photograph just after Milton was selected for the Australian Paratriathlon team to compete in 2012 World Triathlon Championships in New Zealand.

Purchased 2012
© Dave Tacon/Copyright Agency, 2024

The National Portrait Gallery respects the artistic and intellectual property rights of others. Works of art from the collection are reproduced as per the Australian Copyright Act 1968 (Cth). The use of images of works from the collection may be restricted under the Act. Requests for a reproduction of a work of art can be made through a Reproduction request. For further information please contact NPG Copyright.

Artist and subject

Dave Tacon (age 36 in 2012)

Michael Milton OAM (age 39 in 2012)

Subject professions

Sports and recreation

© National Portrait Gallery 2024
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The National Portrait Gallery acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of Country throughout Australia and recognises the continuing connection to lands, waters and communities. We pay our respect to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures and to Elders past and present. We respectfully advise that this site includes works by, images of, names of, voices of and references to deceased people.

This website comprises and contains copyrighted materials and works. Copyright in all materials and/or works comprising or contained within this website remains with the National Portrait Gallery and other copyright owners as specified.

The National Portrait Gallery respects the artistic and intellectual property rights of others. The use of images of works of art reproduced on this website and all other content may be restricted under the Australian Copyright Act 1968 (Cth). Requests for a reproduction of a work of art or other content can be made through a Reproduction request. For further information please contact NPG Copyright.

The National Portrait Gallery is an Australian Government Agency