Shannon Winchester reveals how a ‘dumb cliche moment’ changed his life forever

A Tasmanian local footballer has recalled the horror Bali accident which nearly killed him as he now sprints towards some unlikely Paralympic glory.

Shannon Winchester was involved in a motorbike accident while in Bali which changed his life forever. Picture: Supplied

Imagine waking up in the hospital not knowing how or why you are there only to be told you were in a serious motorbike accident which has left you with a tube draining the fluid from your brain.

Shannon Winchester, who will be competing in the 100 metre sprints at the World Para Athletic Championships later this year, knows the feeling all too well after a “dumb cliche moment” in Bali eight years ago.

Rushed into emergency surgery in a Balinese hospital, Winchester survived but was left with the gruelling months of rehab and learning to walk again.

“I woke up in hospital and had no memory of it, I thought I was in my villa to be honest, I was on a lads trip,” Winchester said.

Shannon Winchester will represent Australia at the World Para Athletics Championship in September. Picture: Jake Garland

“I turned to my right and saw my at the time partner and I said ‘what are you doing here? Why are you here?

“And she said ‘great for the fifth time, you’ve had an accident, we’re in Bali and you’re in hospital.

“I thought I am absolutely fine, went to jump out of the bed and got pulled back very quickly by a tube that was in my skull draining brain fluid and realised my legs didn’t work.

“I was like ‘this is a bit more serious than I thought it was’.”

The traumatic brain injury (TBI) meant the once promising young footballer, now had to learn to balance, walk and run again.

Shannon Winchester had over 30 stitches/staples in his head after his brain surgery. Picture: Supplied

“It took me two weeks to learn to walk again, I would take a couple of steps and then my balance would go every now and then and I would fall a little bit,” Winchester said.

“Then from there it was just about getting back to the point of being able to run and it probably took about two years to get back to what I refer to as normal.

“It’s just when I am at max velocity when I went back to play footy and start moving at full pace, you can feel things aren’t quite right and not everything is quite there.

“The accident, more than anything, it was more embarrassment and a bit of guilt for putting a lot of people through a fair bit of trauma to be honest. Like the guys I was with they had to hold my throat open so I didn’t bleed out and keep me alive.

“I felt more guilt than anything, there was no sort of sympathy.”

Eight years later, Winchester, who made the move to Tasmania with his partner and daughter, has been selected for Australia to compete in the Worlds Athletics Championship as he chases his dream of becoming a Paralympian.

Winchester said there was a sense of proudness for what he had achieved.

“It is a painfully cliche story but it is something that happens all the time, young guys in their mid to late 20s, living your life having fun and you make mistakes and things happen,” Winchester said.

Winchester is trying to make his daughter, two-year-old Nola proud. Picture: Jake Garland

“I just hope if people have gone through something like that, this isn’t going to define you.

“Your mistakes aren’t what defines you, how you respond to them is and you can get back to being competitive and get back to shining on the world stage.

“For kids that have impairments, whether that’s acquired or they are born with it, showing them that.

“Every little kid dreams about it, they play footy, dream about being on the MCG, they play cricket, they dream about playing in the World Cup.

“I just want to show them that even though those avenues might not be there, there are other avenues, being an elite athlete you can compete on the world stage and representing your country and making you and your family proud.”

The now 35-year-old said the true inspiration for him to chase his dreams was his two-year-old daughter Nola.

“As far as she is concerned, she is just annoyed I have been away for a few weeks to be honest, she has been cracking it at me a little bit,” Winchester joked.

“But to be honest she is the entire reason I am doing this.

“I have lived a fun life, a big life and I have some great stories but they are the kind of stories you tell your mates and they like or they are great anecdotes for when you are at wine parties.

“But I haven’t really done anything I think that my daughter could look back on and be quite proud of and be like ‘thats my dad’.

“So that is kind of what this is about, something that can make her look at and go thats my dad and be proud.

“She doesn’t see it now, as for now I am just dad but hopefully I can achieve something that she can look back on and be happy.”

Winchester played for Claremont for the start of the 2025 season in the Southern Football Community League before his push to make the Worlds team six weeks ago.

Winchester will head to New Delhi in September to compete for Worlds along with fellow Tasmanian Alexander McKillop.

Both Para athletes will compete in the 100 metre sprints.

Originally published as Shannon Winchester reveals how a ‘dumb cliche moment’ changed his life forever