Full Breakdown
Former Scottish Goalkeeper Adam Golebiewski Finds Freedom in Para Skiing After Double Amputation
By Drooid · · How we work
In this breakdown
01
Accident and Immediate Aftermath
In 2024, 17-year-old Adam Golebiewski was a passenger in a car driven by 19-year-old Arran Paterson in Macduff, Aberdeenshire. The vehicle struck a wall, and Golebiewski required a double amputation below the knee. Two other teenage passengers were seriously injured. Paterson later pleaded guilty to causing serious injury by dangerous driving, was detained for 32 months, and received a driving disqualification of five years and four months.
02
Rehabilitation and Transition to Para Skiing
Following three months of rehabilitation at Woodend Hospital in Aberdeen, Golebiewski was fitted with prosthetic limbs and celebrated his 18th birthday at home. He began using crutches, then progressed to a sit-ski with wheels for off-snow training and skis for on-snow sessions. By age 20, he had qualified for international para-biathlon competition, a sport that combines cross-country skiing and rifle shooting. Golebiewski reports that he does not think of his injuries while on the board, describing the experience as a sense of freedom.
Visual evidence
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03
Training, Competition Schedule, and Future Goals
Golebiewski trains at the Nordic ski centre in Huntly, near his former junior club Deveronside. He has competed on wheels in the United Kingdom and traveled to Colorado, Italy, Finland, and Sweden for on-snow practice. He fell roughly 40 times during his first Colorado session but quickly adapted. His coach, Simon Bate of Snowsport Scotland, notes that Golebiewski’s “real maturity and positive outlook” have driven rapid progress. Bate believes the athlete could target the 2030 Paralympic Winter Games and expects strong performances in upcoming World Cup events in Finland and Sweden.
04
Legal Outcome for the Driver
Arran Paterson was sentenced to 32 months in custody for dangerous, drink-driven driving without insurance. In addition to the custodial term, the court imposed a driving ban lasting five years and four months, reflecting the seriousness of the crash that left Golebiewski and two others with life-changing injuries.
05
Verbatim Quotes
- “He's definitely got the potential - and I think he's going to do well.” — Simon Bate, of Snowsport Scotland