Posted on Tuesday 25th July, 2023

Name: Peter Cowan
Born: 22 June 1995
Home Town: Hastings
Chosen Sport: Para canoe – Va’a (waka ama)
Coach: Myka Nuku
Classification: VL3
Eligible impairment: limb deficiency
Health condition: above knee amputee

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@pcwaka

Peter Cowan Athlete

Bio

Para athlete Peter Cowan competes in an adaptive version of waka ama, known internationally as Para va’a, which is a division of Para canoe at the Paralympic Games.

Peter competes in the VL3 classification.

Aged 15, Peter was training on his bike for the IronMāori triathlon when he was clipped by an oncoming car. After the serious accident, Peter later made the difficult decision to amputate his injured leg. In his last year of high school, he discovered paddling and soon fell in love with the sport.

Peter won two golds and a silver in the World Waka Ama Championships, and also placed fourth in the 2018 ICF Canoe Sprint World Championships. At the 2022 ICF Canoe Sprint and Para Canoe World Championships, Peter placed 8th in the VL3 event.

Attitude’s documentary on Peter. Check out more great Attitude documentaries.