Arnold William Boldt

In the 1970s Boldt established himself as the world’s top amputee high jumper, garnering invitations to both disability sport and able-bodied track meets. Boldt's World and Paralympic High Jump record set in 1980 still stands at 1.96m.

Arnold Boldt of Osler, Saskatchewan is returning to the 2012 Paralympic Games as a cyclist, twenty years after he won the gold medal in the men's high jump at the 1992 Paralympic Games in Barcelona.

He'll compete in four events at the Paralympics - a one-kilometre road race and three-kilometre pursuit on the velodrome, along with a 60-kilometre road race and a time trial.

Boldt who is now 54 years old, is a three time Canadian cycling champion. At the age of three, Boldt lost his leg in a farming accident. He had his right leg amputated above the knee following an accident with a grain auger as a three-year-old on the family farm near Osler.

Boldt is currently the dean of technology programs for the Saskatchewan Institute of Applied Science and Technology.

Boldt started on the paralympic stage at the 1976 Paralympic Games in Toronto, and won the gold medal in the men's high jump and men's long jump at the age of 18. He also set two world records of 1.86m in the high jump and 2.96m in the long jump.

He would go on to win five more gold medals at the Paralympic Games and break his own world record in the high jump at 1.96m at the 1980 Paralympic Games in Arnhem, Netherlands.

In 1977, Boldt was inducted into Canada's Sports Hall of Fame. _____________

August 17, 2012 (Ottawa, ON) – Cycling Canada announces changes to the 2012 Canadian Para-Cycling Team heading to the 2012 Paralympic Games in London, with Paralympic Hall of Famer Arnold Boldt joining the line-up of cyclists named to the Paralympic cycling team.

With the persisting knee injury to paracyclist Alexandre Carrier (M Tandem), Cycling Canada will include first Alternate Arnold Boldt to the team travelling to London. The initial selection of Carrier and his pilot Luc Dionne was based on a supporting role in the road race, and with the duo unable to race at full capacity, the decision was subsequently made to include Boldt to the line-up.

Boldt started cycling competitively in 2009 and since has won six national titles, including three road race Championships and two time trial championships on the road, as well as a 1000M time trial title on the track.

Arnold Boldt, who has had an illustrious career in the Paralympic Movement, will make its fourth appearance at Paralympic Games. He first competed at the 1976 Paralympic Games in Toronto and since then has won an impressive eight Paralympic Games medals, including seven gold in Athletics. The Associate Vice President, Academic and Research, for the Saskatchewan Institute of Applied Science and Technology makes a return to the Paralympic Games after 20 years of absence since his last Paralympic Games competition.

At 54 years of age, Boldt is the oldest athlete on the Canadian Para-Cycling Team. Throughout his life, he earned distinguished honours, receiving the Order of Canada, as well as being introduced in the Canadian Paralympic Hall of Fame, the Canadian Sports Hall of Fame, the Terry Fox Hall of Fame and the Saskatchewan Hall of Fame.

At the 1992 Paralympic Games in Barcelona, Boldt carried the Canadian flag in the opening ceremonies.

At 2012 London Paralympics

• Cycle Road -

• Men's Individual C 1-3 Road Race DNF
  
• Men's Individual C 2 Time Trial 12th 27:31.82 (Winning time 24:35.12)
  

• Cycle Track -

• Men's Ind.C2 Pursuit - Final Rank 12 4:13.458
  
• Men's Ind. C1-2-3 1km Time Trial Rank Final 25 1:17.304
  

Sources and References

• http://pedalmag.com/?p=169915
• http://www.leaderpost.com/health/Boldt+jumps+chance+switch+sports/7...
• http://www.saskcycling.ca/Athlete%20Profiles/arnold.html