Career
In 1996 Monypenny fell 30 metres (98 ft) while rock climbing in the Cataract Gorge in Launceston resulting in paraplegia. After his fall Monypenny continued to remain active in a range of sports including wheelchair tennis and Basketball, wheelchair racing, hand cycling, indoor rock climbing and skiing before concentrating on adaptive rowing. Monypenny holds a Doctor of Philosophy in Organic Chemistry and is currently working at Lilydale District High School.
Monypenny took up the sport of rowing in 2003 training with the Tamar Rowing Club.
In a short period he was competing both nationally and internationally. At the 2008 Beijing Paralympics, he finished sixth in the Men"s Single Sculls AM1x.
Soon after the 2008 Beijing Paralympics, Monypenny switched to Nordic Skiing with the aim of competing in the 2010 Vancouver Winter Paralympics. His first major competition was in January 2009 for the United States Nationals.
He competed in Vancouver in the Men"s 1 km Sprint sitting, Men"s 10 km sitting, and Men"s 15 km sitting events.
At the end of the Games, he announced his retirement from the sport. 2005 Australian Rower"s Rower Award
2005 Tasmanian Disabled Sportsperson
2006 Tasmanian Disabled Sportsperson
2007 Tasmanian Sportsman Award
2015 Tasmanian Sporting Hall of Fame inductee.
