Lynda Holt

Lynda Holt (born 9 March 1972) is an Australian Paralympic athlete.^[1] She won a silver medal at the 2000 Sydney Games in the Women's Shot Put F55 event. In 2020, Holt decided to re-enter the sporting arena and compete again after her initial retirement in 2002, which at the time ended her 21-year sporting career.

Lynda Holt (born 9 March 1972) is an Australian Paralympic athlete, disability advocate, entrepreneur and model. She was born in Perth, Western Australia and grew up in Perth with one sister. Holt was born with spina bifida and began using a wheelchair full time at the age of ten.

In 1979 Holt was named the Telethon Child for the annual Channel 7 Telethon fundraiser supporting children with disabilities.^[2]

Due to frequent hospitalisations during childhood, Holt attended eight different schools throughout her early education. These experiences later influenced her interest in human behaviour and personal development, which she went on to study in adulthood.

Holt later became involved in disability advocacy and business initiatives aimed at improving independence and accessibility for people with disabilities. She is the founder of Wheelie Essential, an assistive technology and disability lifestyle brand created to provide practical products and solutions for wheelchair users and people with mobility impairments.^[3]

In addition to her work in assistive technology, Holt works as a travel advisor specialising in accessible travel planning through iTravel.^[4] She also provides accessible travel information and resources through the Wheelie Essential platform.^[5]

Holt began participating in wheelchair sport at the age of nine. During this time she met fellow Australian Paralympic athlete Louise Sauvage, who competed in the same classification during early competitions.^[6]

Initially Holt tried several sports including athletics, swimming, wheelchair basketball, slalom and track racing before focusing on the field events of shot put and discus. She competed in her first national championships in Adelaide, South Australia in 1981 and continued to compete in national championships across Australia throughout her teenage years.

Holt first represented Australia internationally in 1988 as part of a junior athletics team that travelled to the United States to compete in East Tennessee.

At the 1998 IPC Athletics World Championships in Birmingham, England, she won two bronze medals: Women's Shot Put F55 with a throw of 6.48 metres and Women's Discus with a throw of 18.96 metres.^[7]

In preparation for the 2000 Sydney Paralympics, Holt trained up to twelve sessions per week while also maintaining full-time employment.

At the Sydney Games she won the silver medal in the Women's Shot Put F55 with a throw of 7.03 metres. In the Women's Discus event she finished second overall with a throw of 20.94 metres; however, due to classifications being combined across categories the medal was awarded to another classification. Her ranking of second in the world for the F55 classification was still officially recorded with that distance.

Her coach throughout much of her athletics career was Frank Ponta, who coached her through to the Sydney Paralympics and until her retirement from athletics in 2002.

Holt returned to competitive sport in 2019 after a long absence from elite competition. She later transitioned into Para ice hockey as part of the development of women's para ice hockey internationally.

She represented Australia in international competitions and served as vice-captain of the Australian women's team that travelled to Slovakia to compete in the inaugural World Para Ice Hockey Women's World Championships in 2025.

The tournament marked the first official world championship event dedicated to women's para ice hockey and represented a significant milestone in the growth of the sport.

Outside of sport, Holt is known for her work as a disability advocate and entrepreneur.

She founded Wheelie Essential, a disability lifestyle and assistive technology brand designed to provide practical products and resources for wheelchair users and people with mobility disabilities.

Holt is also active in the accessible travel sector, helping travellers with disabilities navigate accessibility considerations and travel logistics through both iTravel and the Wheelie Essential platform.

Through her advocacy work she promotes greater accessibility, representation and opportunities for people with disabilities in sport, business and everyday life.

Holt also works as a disability model advocating for greater representation of people with disabilities in fashion, advertising and media.

She is represented by the modelling agency ZBD Talent.^[8]

Her work focuses on increasing visibility and challenging traditional perceptions of disability through inclusive representation.

• Athletics Australia Results
• Lynda Holt Shot Put 2000 Sydney Paralympics - YouTube
• Lynda Holt Official website
• Wheelie Essential
• Midlife Unfiltered with Margit Cruice Podcast