Oliver Fanshawe is a blind multi-sport athlete who was awarded a Tier 3 Scholarship within the Sport Australia Hall of Fame 2026 Scholarship and Mentoring Program.
Ollie, a trailblazing multi-sport athlete from Brisbane, has become a leading figure in blind sport. Diagnosed with Peters Anomaly at just nine days old, Ollie grew up with limited vision in one eye and total blindness in the other. Despite this, he discovered a passion for tennis at the age of five after watching his older brother Tom train under his coach Greg Braun, beginning what would become an extraordinary sporting journey.
Ollie has since risen to the very top of international blind tennis. He is currently ranked World No. 2 in men’s B2 singles and World No. 1 in junior singles, and has claimed titles in tournaments across England, Poland, and other international competitions. His success has made him one of Australia’s most accomplished blind tennis players, inspiring a new generation of athletes with vision impairment to take up the sport.
His sporting achievements extend beyond the tennis court. Ollie has proudly represented Australia in blind cricket, touring India for the 2022 T20 Blind Cricket World Cup and England for the 2023 IBSA World Games, and competed in goalball as part of the Australian Storm squad. This multi-sport representation highlights not only his athletic ability, but also his dedication to pushing boundaries and taking on every opportunity to represent his country.
Ollie’s story is one of determination and resilience. At just 14 years old, he became the youngest Australian to receive a seeing eye dog through Vision Australia, partnering with his beloved dog Sadie, a milestone that allowed him to pursue greater independence as a student-athlete. During a hospital stay in February 2023, Ollie was featured on juice TV and has since been included into the juice TV Hall of Fame at the Queensland Children’s Hospital, and experience that gave him the chance to share his journey with other young people facing challenges.
Today, he is passionate about sharing his journey to encourage young people with disabilities to participate in sport, and he actively mentors younger athletes in his community. Looking ahead, Ollie is committed to further improving his world ranking, representing Australia at future Blind Tennis World Championships, and growing the profile of blind tennis nationally and internationally. Beyond sport, he hopes to use his platform to advocate for greater inclusion and accessibility in sport, ensuring others have the opportunities that have shaped his own life.
After sport, he aspires to stay connected to the sporting world by mentoring the next generation of athletes with vision impairment and helping grow the profile of blind tennis in Australia. He also would like to be an exercise physiologist and eventually run his own gym, where he can create an exclusive space for people of all abilities to improve their health and performance.
“Being selected for the sport Australia Hall of Fame T3 scholarship is an incredible honour. It’s a moment that makes me proud of how far I’ve come and excited for what’s ahead.”– Ollie Fanshawe on being selected as a 2026 Tier 3 Scholarship Holder.
Honours & Achievements
- IBTA World Junior Singles Champion 2024
- IBTA World Men’s B2 Singles Finalist 2024
- IBTA World Men’s Doubles Finalist 2024
- Current Australian Men’s B2 Singles Champion
- European singles and doubles champion 2024
Social Links | Instagram https://www.instagram.com/ollie.fanshawe/
