General News
2 August, 2024
Soaring to new heights
WHILE television screens across the district are tuned in to the Paris Olympics, Ambulance Victoria is this week celebrating its own sporting stars – with one working hard in the heart of Warrnambool.
Leigh Howlett, who used to compete for Australia in the highly competitive sport of trampolining, is a dedicated mobile intensive care ambulance (MICA) flight paramedic aboard the air ambulance helicopter based in Warrnambool.
Leigh was used to spending time in the air (albeit at a lower altitude) when he joined Ambulance Victoria.
At the age of nine, Leigh started his sporting career in diving before switching to gymnastics.
“In diving, we used the trampoline as part of our dry training,” Leigh said.
“I liked the trampoline more than diving so I started training recreationally and it snowballed from there.”
Leigh made the Australian trampoline team in 2003, holding his place in the national squad until 2007 before retiring from the sport in early 2008.
During those years, he achieved success on the national and international stage, winning a silver medal at the 2005 Youth Olympics in synchronised trampoline.
He was crowned national champion in 2007, competed at the World Championships in 2005 and 2007 (qualifying for the final in the latter year) and competed at the 2003 World Age Games.
Towards the end of his sporting career, Leigh balanced his training and competitions with study for his paramedicine degree.
“It was busy training full-time, studying full-time and working a part-time job,” he said.
“When you’re busy you’re forced to be organised and make it work.”
Make it work he did, with Leigh graduating from university then joining AV as a graduate paramedic in 2009.
In 2022, Leigh qualified to be a MICA flight paramedic aboard one of AV’s air ambulance helicopters.
It’s one of the most highly qualified paramedic roles and considered one of the most prestigious at AV.
Leigh said his experience in elite gymnastics helped him progress to this level in his paramedic career.
“What I loved about elite sport was discipline, skill development, how to perform under pressure and the pursuit of sporting goals,” he said.
“I have learned a lot through elite sport and a lot about myself that can be incorporated into everyday life after sport.
“Particularly discipline, learning to perform under pressure and having a drive for improvement has given me a good foundation to build my career as a paramedic.”
