The countdown is on for 88 Paralympians ready to shine in Paris.
The countdown to the Paris 2024 Paralympics is well and truly on!
Starting with a single event in 1948, the Paralympic Games officially began in 1960 in Rome and have since grown to showcase 22 sports with over 4,400 athletes. Shaping up to be the biggest yet, this year’s games represent the culmination of years of hard work, skill, discipline and training, on display for an excited audience over an 11-day period.
Australia has a strong mix of experienced Paralympians and up-and-comers donning the green and gold to represent us on a global stage. Here’s just six Paralympians to watch at this year’s Paralympics.
Proving she’s one to watch, Melissa Tapper will be representing Australia at both the 2024 Olympics and Paralympics.
Tapper is not just a force at the table, but she’s a proven history maker and record-breaker. She won bronze at her debut at London 2012 Paralympics and became the first Australian Paralympic table tennis player to qualify for an able-bodied national team when she represented Australia at the 2014 Commonwealth Games in Scotland. In 2016, Tapper made history again when she qualified to compete at the Paralympics and Olympic Games in the same year.
After losing to Chinese Taipei in round 16 at the Paris Olympics, she’ll be warmed up and ready to give it her all at her fourth Paralympic Games.
At just 17, Grace Brimelow and her team set a goal to compete at the Los Angeles 2028 Paralympic Games, but a stellar year on the track set the wheels in motion for a debut at Paris instead.
Her performance at the 2024 World Triathlon Para Cup Vigo in Spain shot her to third on the Paralympic Games leader board and proved to be her golden ticket to France.
Just four years after an injury in Afghanistan Curtis McGrath’s represented Australia at Rio, winning gold in the paracanoe. He went on to take home the gold again at Tokyo, making history as the first paracanoe athlete to win two gold medals at a Paralympic Games, defending his KL2 title and the 200m VL3.
A ten-time world champion gold medallist, McGrath is heading to Paris as a team co-captain with sights no doubt set on bringing home another gold for a hat trick.
Stella Barton’s journey to the Paralympics was almost over before it began. The day she decided to have a break from horse-riding she was spotted by internationally renowned coach, Mary Longden. Longden introduced Barton to her coach, Sally Francis and together they set their sights on the Paralympics.
“I’ve been given great opportunities. I think it’s amazing to be part of the wider Australian team. I’m really looking forward to it. I think it will be an incredible experience,” she said.
Barton was interviewed on Channel Nine sharing her story to the Paralympics, you can check it out here.
Two-time Paralympic gold medallist Chris Bond is heading to his fourth Games, this time as co-captain alongside fellow superstar, Ryley Batt.
The 12-player Steelers squad will bring with them five debutants and a record three female athletes to Paris hoping for glory off the back of their 2022 World Championship win in Denmark. “The Paralympics is an amazing experience. Everyone’s there to compete in their own sports but we’re part of a bigger team, the Australian team, and any chance we have to contribute to the overall medal tally, it lifts everyone in the team and back home,” said Bond.
Tenacious and determined, are just two words to describe Paralympian debutant, Alexa Leary. Just three years ago Leary’s life was almost cut short by a horrific cycling accident, and only two years later she qualified for her first major Para-swimming competition – the 2023 World Championships. She made quite a splash with a gold and silver, and a time hot on the tail of world record holder Sophie Pascoe.
Leary is one to watch in the pool.
We’ll be watching all 88 of our Paralympians as they compete against the best in the world on Channel 9, 9Now and Stan Sport. Get involved and throw your support behind the Aussies this Paralympics.
Aussie, Aussie, Aussie, Oi, Oi, Oi!
This dialog plays embedded videos in a popup window.
This dialog displays a site search in a popup window.
This dialog displays a contact form a popup window.
This dialog displays an email form a popup window.
This dialog displays a list of languages available for translation in a popup window.