Jason
Dunkerley

Jason Dunkerley retired in 2018 after a brilliant career as a middle distance runner which included five medals at five Paralympic Games.

Dunkerley was born blind and began running in elementary school, but it wasn’t until he was in high school that he became serious about competing. After moving to Hamilton from Northern Ireland, Dunkerley attended the W. Ross Macdonald School for Students who are Visually Impaired, Blind and Deafblind in Brantford, Ont., where students are encouraged to get involved in sports.

Since then he’s been a medal machine for Canada at major Games.

Dunkerley has so far represented Canada at five Paralympic Games and has won five medals. With guide Greg Dailey, he raced to silver medals in 2000 and 2004 and bronze in 2008, all in the 1500m. At London 2012, paired with guide Joshua Karanja, Dunkerley won bronze in the 1500m as well as silver in the 5000m. At the 2016 Rio Games he just missed the podium placing fifth.

He has also reached the podium at in his five IPC World Championships appearances with four gold and two silver overall.

CAREER HIGHLIGHTS

5-time Paralympic medallist (T1500m silver 2000, T11 1500m silver 2004, T11 1500m bronze 2008, T11 1500m bronze and T11 5000m silver, 2012)… 4-time IPC athletics world champion…Six-time Parapan Am Games medallist… Named Ottawa’s athlete of the year in 2004.

PERSONAL

Returned to competition on two occasions after being hit by a car (broken leg and fractured skull) in 2005 and donating a kidney to his wife in 2013 …Enjoys playing guitar and drinking good coffee…His younger brother Jonathan, also visually impaired, competed at the 2008 Paralympic Games…. Afflicted with with Leber’s congenital amaurosis, a rare inherited eye disease that appears at birth or in the first few months of life… Graduated from the University of Guelph with a degree in International Development.

NOTABLE INTERNATIONAL RESULTS

• 2017 IPC World Championships 1500m 2nd
• 2016 Paralympic Games 1500m 5th
• 2015 IPC World Championships 5000m 2nd
• 2015 Parapan American Games 5000m 1st

2015 Parapan American Games 1500m 2nd

2012 Paralympic Games, 5000m 2nd

2012 Paralympic Games 1500m 3rd

2011 IPC World Championships 800m 1st

2011 Parapan American Games 1500m 2nd

2011 Parapan American Games 5000m 3rd

2008 Paralympic Games 800m 3rd

2007 Parapan American Games1500m 1st

2007 Parapan American Games 800m 1st

2006 IPC World Championships 800m 1st

2006 IPC World Championships 1500m 1st

2004 Paralympic Games 1500m 3rd

2002 IPC World Championships 1500m 1st

2000 Paralympic Games 1500m 2nd