Australia at the Paralympics

Last updated
Australia at the
Paralympics
Flag of Australia.svg
IPC code AUS
NPC Paralympics Australia
Website www.paralympic.org.au
Medals
Ranked 6th
Gold
389
Silver
422
Bronze
394
Total
1,205
Summer appearances
Winter appearances

Australia has participated officially in every Paralympic Games since its inauguration in 1960 with the exception of the 1976 Winter Paralympics.

Contents

The Paralympic Games are held every four years, following the Olympic Games and are governed by the International Paralympic Committee (IPC). The Paralympic Games have been contractually tied to the Olympic Games since 2001, however, they have taken place at the same venues since the 1988 Seoul Summer Games and the 1992 Albertville Winter Games. [1]

In order to compete at the Paralympics, athletes must have an eligible impairment that leads to a permanent activity limitation, and athletes will compete in the classification appropriate to their impairment. [2] These impairments are physical, vision and intellectual impairments.

Paralympics Australia, established in 1990, is responsible for selecting and preparing the Australian Paralympic Teams for both the Summer and Winter Paralympic Games. This committee assists with funding the athletes and competition in addition to talent identification. [3]

Many of Australia's gold medals have come from Athletics, [4] a sport which has been popular amongst Australian Paralympic athletes, such as Tim Sullivan and Louise Sauvage. [5] The other sport from which many medals have come is Swimming.

Paralympic Flame alight in Sydney at the 2000 Summer Paralympic Games. 141100 - Paralympic Flame cauldron alight 3 - 3b - 2000 Sydney cauldron photo.jpg
Paralympic Flame alight in Sydney at the 2000 Summer Paralympic Games.

Australia has hosted the Paralympic Games on one occasion in 2000. [6] Sydney, the capital city of New South Wales hosted the Summer Paralympics from 23 to 31 October 2000. [6] There were 3879 participants from 123 countries across 19 sports and 550 events. [6] Australia won the most medals with 149 overall. [7]

History

The Paralympic Games had their beginnings in the Stoke Mandeville Games, held at the Stoke Mandeville Hospital, a spinal hospital in the United Kingdom. The first Games was in 1948, originally designed for patients of the hospital. The first Australian representative was 19 year old Charlene Todman, who had travelled to the hospital due to a lack of suitable care for spinal injuries in Australia at the time, competing in Archery at the 1951 games. [8]

The annual Stoke Mandeville Games would stage their first event in a new host city in 1960, with Rome hosting the 9th International Stoke Mandeville Games. The aim was to continue to host the annual games in Stoke Mandeville and every four years in a new host city, akin to the Summer Olympics, with the closing ceremony of the 1960 Summer Olympics also in Rome having occurred only six days earlier. [9] Australia sent 12 representatives, with the team having to raise £10,000 to fund their travel. Representatives were also expected to compete in multiple events, with Ross Sutton who had been paralysed in a Tiger Moth crash two years earlier, earning Australia's first Gold Medal in Archery. Australia would leave with three Gold Medals. [10] [11]

Australia would send athletes to every subsequent Paralympic Games, including the 1976 Winter Paralympics, although due to the organisers only allowing amputees, blind or visually impaired athletes, Australia's only representative skier Ron Finneran was unable to compete due to childhood Polio having impaired a leg and arm. After arguing with Ludwig Guttmann, the head of the Paralympic movement, and almost coming to blows. Finneran carried the Australian flag at the Opening Ceremony and tested the courses before competition. [12] [13]

Australia hosted the 2000 Summer Paralympics in Sydney, topping the Medal tally for the first time with 63 golds and is scheduled to host the 2032 Summer Paralympics in Brisbane. [14] [15]

Summer Games

Daphne Ceeney and Elizabeth Edmondson shake hands after Edmondson won gold and Ceeney silver in the 50 m prone swimming event in Tokyo at the 1964 Summer Paralympic Games. Xx1164 - Ceeney and Edmondson handshake Tokyo Games - 3a - Scan.jpg
Daphne Ceeney and Elizabeth Edmondson shake hands after Edmondson won gold and Ceeney silver in the 50 m prone swimming event in Tokyo at the 1964 Summer Paralympic Games.

  Host country (Australia)

Medal table

GamesGoldSilverBronzeTotalRankCompetitorsOfficialsFlag Bearer OpeningFlag Bearer Closing
1960 Rome 36110711 Kevin Betts
1964 Tokyo 12117304179Not a team member
1968 Tel-Aviv 151673843518
1972 Heidelberg 6910251137Not a team member
1976 Toronto 16187411146Not a team member
1980 Arnhem 122122551453Not a team member
1984 Stoke Mandeville /
New York
4954511548108 Carol Young and Paul Bird (NY)

Non team member (SM)

1988 Seoul 233438951017547 Paul Croft Rodney Nugent
1992 Barcelona and Madrid 3737341085134 Terry Giddy Priya Cooper
1996 Atlanta 4237271062161 Elizabeth Kosmala Priya Cooper
2000 Sydney 63 39471491286148 Brendan Burkett Neil Fuller
2004 Athens 2639361015152 Louise Sauvage Matthew Cowdrey
2008 Beijing 232927795161122 Russell Short Matthew Cowdrey
2012 London 322330855160 Greg Smith Evan O'Hanlon
2016 Rio 223029815176 Brad Ness Curtis McGrath
2020 Tokyo 212930808179 Ryley Batt &
Daniela di Toro
Ellie Cole
2024 Paris 181728639159 Madison de Rozario & Brenden Hall Lauren Parker & James Turner
Total4074394221268

[16]

Tony South receives his gold medal for the archery Albion Round in Tel-Aviv at the 1968 Summer Paralympics from the founder of the Paralympic movement, Ludwig Guttmann. Xx1168 - Tony South receives 1968 gold medal - 3b - scan.jpg
Tony South receives his gold medal for the archery Albion Round in Tel-Aviv at the 1968 Summer Paralympics from the founder of the Paralympic movement, Ludwig Guttmann.
In Paralympic sport, Australia has been most successful in Athletics. Greg Smith gives the crowd a "thumbs up" after winning gold at the 800 m T52 final at the 2000 Summer Paralympic Games, in Sydney on Day 04. 231000 - Athletics wheelchair racing 800m T52 final Greg Smith gold thumbs up - 3b - 2000 Sydney race photo.jpg
In Paralympic sport, Australia has been most successful in Athletics. Greg Smith gives the crowd a "thumbs up" after winning gold at the 800 m T52 final at the 2000 Summer Paralympic Games, in Sydney on Day 04.

Medals by summer sport 1960–2020

Source: [17]

SportGoldSilverBronzeTotal
Athletics pictogram (Paralympics).svg Athletics 160166171497
Swimming pictogram (Paralympics).svg Swimming 142168170480
Cycling (road) pictogram (Paralympics).svg Cycling 453937121
Shooting pictogram (Paralympics).svg Shooting 157325
Lawn bowls pictogram.svg Lawn bowls 87621
Table tennis pictogram (Paralympics).svg Table tennis 67619
Wheelchair tennis pictogram (Paralympics).svg Wheelchair tennis 45312
Weightlifting pictogram.svg Weightlifting 43512
Paracanoe pictogram (Paralympics).svg Paracanoe 4329
Sailing pictogram.svg Sailing 4217
Archery pictogram (Paralympics).svg Archery 39416
Equestrian Dressage pictogram (Paralympics).svg Equestrian 3159
Wheelchair basketball pictogram (Paralympics).svg Wheelchair basketball 2518
Wheelchair rugby pictogram (Paralympics).svg Wheelchair rugby 2215
Triathlon pictogram (Paralympics).svg Triathlon 2103
Rowing pictogram (Paralympics).svg Rowing 1416
Darchery pictogram (Paralympics).svg Dartchery 1102
Judo pictogram (Paralympics).svg Judo 1001
Powerlifting pictogram (Paralympics).svg Powerlifting 0516
Boccia pictogram (Paralympics).svg Boccia 0224
Snooker pictogram (Paralympics).svg Snooker 0112
Wheelchair fencing pictogram (Paralympics).svg Wheelchair fencing 0112
Taekwondo pictogram (Paralympics).svg Parataekwondo 0011
Totals (23 entries)4074394221,268
Source: [4]

Best results in non-medalling sports:

Summer
SportRankAthleteEvent & Year
Wheelchair badminton pictogram (Paralympics).svg Badminton 9th Grant Manzoney Men's singles WH2 in 2020
Football 5-a-side pictogram (Paralympics).svg Football 5-a-side Did not participate
Goalball pictogram (Paralympics).svg Goalball 4th Australia men's team Men's tournament in 1996
Sitting volleyball pictogram (Paralympics).svg Volleyball 8th Australia men's team Men's tournament in 2000

Winter Games


Medal table

GamesGoldSilverBronzeTotalRankCompetitorsOfficialsFlag Bearer OpeningFlag Bearer Closing
1976 Örnsköldsvik 0000-0* [^] 1 Ron Finneran
1980 Geilo 0000-2
1984 Innsbruck 0000-3
1988 Innsbruck 0000-5
1992 Tignes-Albertville 1124125
1994 Lillehammer 324996
1998 Nagano 1012164 James Patterson
2002 Salt Lake City 610786 Michael Milton Bart Bunting
2006 Turin 01121310 Michael Milton Toby Kane
2010 Vancouver 01341611 Toby Kane Cameron Rahles-Rahbula
2014 Sochi 0022197 Cameron Rahles-Rahbula Ben Tudhope
2018 PyeongChang 10341515 Joany Badenhorst Melissa Perrine
2022 Beijing 0011179 Melissa Perrine
Mitchell Gourley
Ben Tudhope
Total1261735

Notes: ^ Ron Finneran attended and was expected to compete, carrying the flag during the Opening Ceremony, but due to the Paralympics lacking a limb impairment category other than amputee, he was excluded, and instead acted as an official at the games. [18]

Medals by winter sport 1980–2022

SportGoldSilverBronzeTotal
Alpine skiing - Paralympic pictogram.svg Alpine skiing 1161532
Snowboarding - Paralympic pictogram.svg Snowboarding 1023
Totals (2 entries)1261735

Summary of Australia's involvement

Australian team in Singapore en route to Rome for the 1960 Summer Paralympics. Xx0960 - Australian team Singapore en route to Rome - 3a - Scan.JPG
Australian team in Singapore en route to Rome for the 1960 Summer Paralympics.

1960 Summer Paralympics

Athlete, Daphne Hilton (Ceeney) was Australia's first ever swimmer who competed at the Rome 1960 Games. [19] This games were the only Paralympic Games in which Australia did not win a gold medal in athletics. [19]

1964 Summer Paralympics

With the games in Tokyo, Australia was able to send a large contingent of athletes as a result of the shorter than typical journey. [19] Australia placed fourth with a total of 31 overall medals; 12 gold medals, 10 silver medals and 9 bronze medals.

1968 Summer Paralympics

Australia placed fourth again, with 38 overall medals; 15 gold, 16 silver and 7 bronze. [20] Lorraine Dodd was an outstanding athlete at these games, setting three Swimming records for her class, all on the same day.

1972 Summer Paralympics

Australian won 25 medals - 6 gold, 9 silver and 10 bronze medals in six sports. Australia finished 11th on the gold medal table and 9th on the total medal table. [21] Elizabeth "Libby" Kosmala competed in her first Paralympics, and won a bronze medal in swimming in the Women's 3x50 m Medley Relay 2–4 event, and participated in other swimming and athletics events. [22]

Australian athlete Eric Russell with Ludwig Guttmann at the 1976 Summer Paralympics Xx0876 - Eric Russell with Ludwig Guttmann at 1976 Paralympics - 3b - Scan.jpg
Australian athlete Eric Russell with Ludwig Guttmann at the 1976 Summer Paralympics

1976 Summer Paralympics

The Olympic and Paralympic Games both aim to be apolitical; despite this, at the 1976 Paralympic Games, politics intruded into the games. Apartheid practices in South Africa brought controversy with the country's invitation to and inclusion in the games. Australian athlete, Eric Russell took a stance against politics at the Paralympic Games when he refused his gold medal in the class 3 discus event as a protest. He later accepted the medal from Dr Guttman after a press conference, explaining his position. [20]

For the first time, television coverage of the Paralympics was broadcast daily to more than 600,000 viewers around the world. [19]

1976 Winter Paralympics

This Paralympic Games were the first Winter Paralympic Games. Australia was represented by one athlete, Ron Finneran; however, he was disqualified as his disability did not meet event classifications. [23]

The Australian Team at the 1980 Summer Paralympic Games, in The Netherlands. 1980 Amputee Team - Holland.jpg
The Australian Team at the 1980 Summer Paralympic Games, in The Netherlands.

1980 Winter Paralympics

This is the first Winter Paralympics that Australia competed in, but did not medal. [24] Australia had two competitors, Kyrra Grunnsund and Peter Rickards, who participated in Slalom and Middle Distance Alpine Skiing respectively. [25]

1980 Summer Paralympics

It was the 6th Summer Paralympic game in which Australia competed. Australia won 55 medals – 12 gold, 21 silver and 22 bronze medals. Australia competed in 10 sports and won medals in 6 sports. It finished 14th on the gold medal table and 9th on the total medal table. [26]

1984 Winter Paralympics

Australia did not win a medal, but was strongly represented by Rodney Mills in cross-country and Kyrra Grunnsund and Andrew Temple in the alpine events of slalom, giant slalom and downhill. [24]

The Australian amputee team at the 1984 New York Paralympic Games. Xx0684 - Australian amputee team 1984 Paralympics New York - 3b - Cropped scan.jpg
The Australian amputee team at the 1984 New York Paralympic Games.

1984 Summer Paralympics

In 1984, Australia more than doubled its previous highest medal count with a tally of 154 medals. For the first time, four Cerebral Palsy athletes and one "Les Autres" athlete participated in the Games. Each won medals: Robert Walden (swimming) won four gold medals, Terry Biggs (table tennis) won a gold medal, Lyn Coleman (cycling) won silver medal and Malcom Chalmers (swimming) won a gold, silver and two bronze medals. [27]

Michael Milton at the 1988 Winter Paralympics. Xx0188 - 1988 winter paralympics - 3b - scans (11).jpg
Michael Milton at the 1988 Winter Paralympics.

1988 Winter Paralympics

Australia sent five athletes; however, failed to medal. [4] These athletes were Michael Collins, Kyrra Grunnsund, Evan Hodge, Michael Milton and David Munk, who all competed in both men's downhill, men's giant slalom and men's slalom, except Munk who only competed in the latter two events. [28]

1988 Summer Paralympics

Australia competed in 16 events, achieving 23 gold medals in three sports, Athletics, Swimming and Lawn Bowls. [4] Overall, Australia received 95 medals, 23 gold, 34 silver and 38 bronze. Australian athletes broke eight records during the Games. [4]

1992 Winter Paralympics

Australia's first ever gold medal at an Olympic or Paralympic Winter Games was won by Michael Milton when he won the LW2 Slalom event. [20] There are no accurate results for the Australian Paralympic team performances at Winter Games previous to 1992; however, it is known that no-one medalled for Australia until the 1992 Paralympics. [29]

Australian Team marching at the opening ceremony at the Barcelona 1992 Paralympic Games Opening ceremony of 1992 Paralympic Games.jpg
Australian Team marching at the opening ceremony at the Barcelona 1992 Paralympic Games

1992 Summer Paralympics

The ID Australian men's swimming team was totally dominant in Madrid, with Joseph Walker being the undoubted star winning nine gold medals (five individual, four relay) from all events that him competed and setting two world records. [20]

Australian Paralympian Michael Milton at the 1994 Winter Games in Lillehammer Dd0394- Lillehammer Winter Games, M.Milton- 3b- scanned photo.jpg
Australian Paralympian Michael Milton at the 1994 Winter Games in Lillehammer

1994 Winter Paralympics

Australia's most successful Winter Paralympic Games remain the 1994 Winter Paralympic Games, when five athletes took the podium on 9 different occasions. [30]

Australian men's wheelchair basketballer Troy Sachs as he passes the ball in the gold medal game against Great Britain at the 1996 Paralympic Games 68 ACPS Atlanta 1996 Basketball Troy Sachs.jpg
Australian men's wheelchair basketballer Troy Sachs as he passes the ball in the gold medal game against Great Britain at the 1996 Paralympic Games

1996 Summer Paralympics

Australia was ranked 2nd in the final medal table with 106 overall medals; 42 gold; 37 silver; 27 bronze. This success has been attributed to the introduction of the Australian Paralympic Committee's Paralympic Preparation Program. [31] Australia's team was half that of the host nation who lead the final medal table. [31]

In the Wheelchair Basketball match, Australia vs Great Britain, Troy Sachs recorded the highest number of individual points scored. [32] Sachs scored 42 points in a single game for Australia at the Atlanta 1996 Paralympic Games, which remains the highest ever individual score by a basketballer at the Paralympic Games. He is also Australia's most awarded basketballer with two gold and one silver medal. [19]

At the Atlanta Summer Paralympics, there was the largest athletics away gold medal haul to date of 19 Gold medals. [19]

1998 Winter Paralympics

Australia collected two medals, one gold and one bronze, from the 1998 Games after sending four competitors. James Patterson competed in Alpine Skiing, winning gold in the men's downhill and bronze in men's slalom.

Louise Sauvage in action at the 2000 Paralympic Games in Sydney 281000 - Athletics wheelchair racing Louise Sauvage action - 3b - 2000 Sydney race photo.jpg
Louise Sauvage in action at the 2000 Paralympic Games in Sydney

2000 Summer Paralympics

The 2000 Sydney Summer Paralympic Games are Australia's most successful Paralympic games to date. In the final medal tally, Australia was ranked first with 149 overall medals; 63 gold, 39 silver, and 47 bronze medals. [6] [20] Australia was represented by their largest team ever. The success of the team combined with extensive media coverage went a long way to changing public attitudes towards Paralympic athletes and understanding them as elite sportspeople. [19]

Australian values were represented well and truly throughout the Opening and Closing Ceremonies with a distinctly Aboriginal feel at the Opening ceremony and in true Australian traditions, a party atmosphere to the closing ceremony. At the Opening Ceremony, the Paralympic flame was lit by Louise Sauvage, one of Australia's biggest Paralympic athlete.

Sauvage and Tim Sullivan both competed in this games and found outstanding success in their individual events. Sullivan is Australia's most successful athletics athlete at a single Games, winning five gold medals in Sydney 2000. [19]

2002 Winter Paralympics

Australia's best performance at Winter Paralympics winning six gold and one bronze medal at the 2002 Winter Paralympics. Of these medals, four were won by Michael Milton. Milton becoming the first athlete in his class to claim a clean sweep of gold medals across the four alpine disciplines when he won gold in all four of his events – Downhill, slalom, giant slalom, and super-G. [33] [34]

Paralympics Opening Ceremony in Athens at the 2004 Summer Paralympics. Paralympics Opening Ceremony.jpg
Paralympics Opening Ceremony in Athens at the 2004 Summer Paralympics.

2004 Summer Paralympics

At the 2004 Paralympics, Australia was represented by a considerably smaller team than that of the 2000 Summer Paralympics in Sydney; however, ranked second overall medals behind China. [19] The reduced team number was as a result of a strict selection criterion set by the APC and sports meant that only athletes with the potential to win a medal were on the Australian team. [19]

2006 Winter Paralympics

Australia took 10 athletes to compete in 3 sports and acquired a silver and a bronze medal to finish equal 13th on the overall medal table. Michael Milton won a silver medal in his event in his fifth and final Winter Paralympic Games, retiring as Australia's most successful Winter Paralympian ever. [4] Emily Jansen competed, as Australia's first female competitor at a Winter Paralympics, in two of the four alpine events. [35]

2008 Summer Paralympics

Australia ranked fourth overall behind China, Great Britain, and USA in the gold medal table. [19] The Beijing Games were the biggest ever with more athletes and countries competing across more sports than ever before. Australia sent their biggest delegation to an away Games to date with 167 athletes, 95 males and 72 females, who competed in 13 out of the 20 sports contested. [36] Rowing was added to the Paralympic program with the Australian doubles crew winning silver. [37] Timothy Sullivan became Australia's leading gold medallist in Paralympic History, winning 10 gold medals. [19]

Australian Skier Jessica Gallagher (right) and guide Christian Geiger (left), 2014 Australian Paralympic Team Athlete. Jessica Gallagher and guide Christian Geiger.jpg
Australian Skier Jessica Gallagher (right) and guide Christian Geiger (left), 2014 Australian Paralympic Team Athlete.

2010 Winter Paralympics

Australia took its largest team to date, of 14 athletes and their guides, to the 2010 Paralympic Winter Games. [38] Despite the large team, Australia finished 16th on the overall medal tally, winning four medals. [38] Australia had their first Australian female to win a medal at the Paralympic Winter Games, when Jessica Gallagher won bronze in the slalom. [38]

2012 Summer Paralympics

Australian Paralympic team member Matthew Cowdrey at the 2012 Summer Paralympic Games in London 010912 - Matthew Cowdrey - 3b - 2012 Summer Paralympics (02).jpg
Australian Paralympic team member Matthew Cowdrey at the 2012 Summer Paralympic Games in London

Australia finished fifth in the medal tally with 32 gold, 23 silver and 30 bronze medals, which medals that were won in nine of the 13 sports contested by Australian athletes. [19] Australia achieved 16 world records and 35 Paralympic Records with performances from such athletes as: Todd Hodgetts (Shot Put), Kelly Cartwright (Long Jump), Susan Powell (Individual Pursuit), Bradley Mark (10m Air Rifle), Brenden Hall (400m Freestyle) and Blake Cochrane (100m Breaststroke). In total Australia had 93 medallists of which 25 were multi-medallists, while gold medallist there was 40 and eight of these were multi-gold medallists. [19]

London was the best performance by Australia's Paralympic swim team since 1984. Men's 4 × 100 m Freestyle Relay swim team achieved Australia's 1000th Summer Paralympic Games medal (Australia's 41st of the Games).

Jacqueline Freney was the most successful athlete from any nation, winning eight gold medals from eight events while her swimming teammate Matthew Cowdrey became the most successful Australian Paralympian of all-time by winning his 13th career gold medal at his third Games. [19] Matthew Cowdrey won gold on day seven in Men's 50m Freestyle S9 Final, also breaking the world record which still stands at 25.13seconds. The victory gave Cowdrey (SA) his 13th career gold medal from three Games. [19]

The Australian wheelchair rugby team won its first Paralympic gold medal after claiming silver at the last two major tournaments (Beijing 2008, World Champs 2010).

The Australian Team marches at the Opening Ceremony of the Sochi 2014 Paralympic Winter Games, led by flagbearer Cameron Rahles-Rahbula. 2014 Opening ceremony.jpg
The Australian Team marches at the Opening Ceremony of the Sochi 2014 Paralympic Winter Games, led by flagbearer Cameron Rahles-Rahbula.

The youngest competitor in the London Games, 13-year-old & 300 days Maddison Elliott from Newcastle, NSW, claimed one gold, one silver, and two bronze medals and had the pleasure of presenting Prince Harry with Australian's Paralympian toy Mascot “Lizzie” the Frill-necked Lizard. [19]

2014 Winter Paralympics

Australia came away from these games with two medals, a disappointing result. Australian Paralympic Chief Executive Jason Hellwig said that 'we were absolutely disappointed we didn't get the mission done to win that gold medal', however, he also described it as the most satisfying he had experienced because of the hardship the team had gone through. [39] A possible reason for the Australian Team's disappointing performance was the death of team member Matthew Robinson, some weeks prior to the Games after an accident at the IPC Alpine Skiing World Cup in La Molina, Spain. [40]

Katie Kelly & her guide Michellie Jones competing in Paratriathlon class PT4, PT2 e PT5, in Copacabana Beach, Rio at the 2016 Summer Paralympics. Katie Kelly and guide in Rio 2016.jpg
Katie Kelly & her guide Michellie Jones competing in Paratriathlon class PT4, PT2 e PT5, in Copacabana Beach, Rio at the 2016 Summer Paralympics.

2016 Summer Paralympics

The Australian team comprised 177 athletes of which 103 are men and 74 are women. [41] Incredibly 89 athletes (50%) made their Paralympic debut in 2016. The average age of athletes on the Aussie team 2016 is 29.2 years. The average age of the male athletes is 29.1 years and the average age of female athletes is 29.4 years. [41]

In Rio there were an extraordinary eight Australian athletes who had competed in two or more different sports:

Australian Paralympic team member Brenden Hall at the 2012 Summer Paralympic Games in London. 310812 - Brenden Hall - 3b - 2012 Summer Paralympics (02).jpg
Australian Paralympic team member Brenden Hall at the 2012 Summer Paralympic Games in London.

Notable achievements at the Games

2018 Winter Paralympics

Team of 12 athletes and three guides represented Australia. In snowboarding Simon Patmore won a gold and bronze medal and in alpine skiing Melissa Perrine won two bronze medals. Australia was ranked 15th on the medal table.

2020 Summer Paralympics

Daniela di Toro and Ryley Batt at the announcement that they would jointly carry the Australian flag in the opening ceremony at the Tokyo Paralympics. 230821 Flagbearer announcement Di Toro Batt Tokyo KM edit.jpg
Daniela di Toro and Ryley Batt at the announcement that they would jointly carry the Australian flag in the opening ceremony at the Tokyo Paralympics.

Australia sent its largest away team - 179 athletes to a Summer Paralympics. Australia finished eighth on the gold medal table and sixth on the total medals table. The Games were postponed one year due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Badminton and taekwondo made their Paralympic debuts.

2022 Winter Paralympics

Team of 7 athletes and two guides represented Australia. In snowboarding Ben Tudhope won a bronze medal. Australia was ranked 17th on the medal table.

Interesting facts

Jessica Gallagher (left) and Madison Janssen (right) prepare to race in the Women's B/VI 1000m time trial final in Rio at the 2016 Summer Paralympics. Gallagher and Janssen on the blocks.jpg
Jessica Gallagher (left) and Madison Janssen (right) prepare to race in the Women's B/VI 1000m time trial final in Rio at the 2016 Summer Paralympics.

Leading Australian Summer Paralympians 1960–2020 [46]

AthleteGoldSilverBronzeTotal
Matthew Cowdrey 137323
Timothy Sullivan 100010
Louise Sauvage 94013
Priya Cooper 93416
Libby Kosmala 93012
Jacqueline Freney 80311
Neil Fuller 66315
Ellie Cole 65617
Heath Francis 64313
Tracey Freeman 64010
Russell Short 62311
Darren Thrupp 6039
Siobhan Paton 6006
Kingsley Bugarin 58619
Totals (14 entries)1054634185


Leading Australian Winter Paralympic medallists 1976–2014

AthleteGoldSilverBronzeTotal
Michael Milton 63211
Bart Bunting/Nathan Chivers (Guide)2103
Michael Norton 2013
James Patterson 1124
Marty Mayberry 0101
Cameron Rahles-Rahbula 0022
David Munk 0022
Jessica Gallagher 0022
Toby Kane 0022
Totals (9 entries)1161330

First Gold medallists

Dual Summer / Winter Paralympic medallists

Dual Summer / Winter Paralympians

As of the 2018 Winter Paralympics, the following Australian athletes have attended both Summer and Winter Games.

Dual Olympian/Paralympian

Multi-sports Australian Paralympians

See also

Related Research Articles

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Ukraine made its Paralympic Games début at the 1996 Summer Paralympics in Atlanta, with thirty athletes competing in archery, track and field, powerlifting, swimming, and sitting volleyball. Vasyl Lishchynskyy won Ukraine's first Paralympic gold medal, in the shot put, and Ukrainians also won four silver medals and two bronze. Ukrainians had previously participated within the Soviet Union's delegation in 1988, and as part of the Unified Team in 1992. Ukraine, following its independence from the Soviet Union, missed out on the 1994 Winter Games, but made its Winter Paralympics début at the 1998 Winter Games in Nagano. Ukraine has competed at every edition of the Summer and Winter Games since then and have done so with remarkable success.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1972 Summer Paralympics medal table</span>

The 21st International Stoke Mandeville Games, later known as the 1972 Summer Paralympics was an international multi-sport event held in Heidelberg, West Germany, from August 2 to 11, 1972, in which athletes with physical disabilities competed against one another. The German Disabled Sports Association planned to stage the Games in Munich following the 1972 Olympic Games, however the Olympic village in Munich was designated to be closed and converted into private apartments. The organisers tried to arrange for alternative accommodation for the athletes but when this was not possible the city of Heidelberg stepped in with an invite to stage the Games at the University of Heidelberg's Institute for Physical Training.

The 1968 Summer Paralympics was an international multi-sport event held in Tel Aviv, Israel, from November 4 to 13, 1968, in which athletes with physical disabilities competed against one another. The Paralympics are run in parallel with the Olympic Games; these Games were originally planned to be held alongside the 1968 Summer Olympics in Mexico City, but two years prior to the event the Mexican government pulled out due to technical difficulties. At the time, the event was known as the 17th International Stoke Mandeville Games. The Stoke Mandeville Games were a forerunner to the Paralympics first organized by Sir Ludwig Guttmann in 1948. This medal table ranks the competing National Paralympic Committees (NPCs) by the number of gold medals won by their athletes.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Roberto Marson</span> Italian Paralympic athlete (1944–2011)

Roberto Marson was an Italian multisport athlete who competed at the Summer Paralympics on four occasions and won a total of 26 Paralympic medals. He lost the use of his legs when a pine tree he was chopping down fell on his back.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Great Britain at the 1972 Summer Paralympics</span> Sporting event delegation

Great Britain sent a delegation to compete at the 1972 Summer Paralympics in Heidelberg, West Germany. Teams from the nation are referred to by International Paralympic Committee (IPC) as Great Britain despite athletes from the whole of the United Kingdom, including those from Northern Ireland, being eligible. They sent seventy two competitors, forty seven male and twenty five female. The team won fifty-two medals—sixteen gold, fifteen silver and twenty-one bronze—to finish third in the medal table behind West Germany and the United States. Philip Craven, the former President of the IPC, competed in athletics, swimming and wheelchair basketball for Great Britain at these Games.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Australia at the 2012 Summer Paralympics</span> Sporting event delegation

Australia competed at the 2012 Summer Paralympics Games in London, United Kingdom, from 29 August to 9 September 2012. The London Games were the biggest Games with 164 nations participating, 19 more than in the 2008 Beijing Paralympic. Australia has participated at every Summer Paralympic Games and hosted the 2000 Sydney Games. As such, the 2000 Sydney Games, regarded as one of the more successful Games, became a point-of-reference and an inspiration in the development of the 2012 London Games.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Australia at the 1998 Winter Paralympics</span> Sporting event delegation

The 1998 Winter Paralympics were held in Nagano, Japan from 5–14 March 1998. At the Games, Australia was represented by four male alpine skiers. Australia tied for 16th place with Denmark, out of 21 Nations on the overall medal tally. James Patterson, an LW9 standing skier, won Australia's two medals - one gold and one bronze.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Australia at the 1994 Winter Paralympics</span> Sporting event delegation

The 1994 Winter Paralympics were held in Lillehammer, Norway. Australia sent six male skiers, who won three gold, two silver and four bronze medals. Australia, at the time, achieved their best ever performance at a Winter Paralympics, finishing 5th overall in the alpine skiing competition, 9th in the medal standings, and 11th in the total medal count out of 31 nations.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1964 Summer Paralympics medal table</span>

The 13th International Stoke Mandeville Games, later known as the 1964 Summer Paralympics, was an international multi-sport event held in Tokyo, Japan, from November 3 to 12, 1964, in which paraplegic and tetraplegic athletes competed against one another. The Stoke Mandeville Games were a forerunner to the Paralympics first organized by Sir Ludwig Guttmann in 1948. This medal table ranks the competing National Paralympic Committees (NPCs) by the number of gold medals won by their athletes.

Caz Walton OBE is a British retired wheelchair athlete and former Great Britain Paralympic team manager. She was a multi-disciplinary gold medallist who competed in numerous Paralympic Games. Between 1964 and 1976 she won medals in athletics, swimming, table tennis, and fencing. She took a break from the Paralympics, entering the basketball and fencing competitions in 1988. In total Walton won ten gold medals during her Paralympic career, making her one of the most successful British athletes of all time. Walton should also have been awarded gold in the 1968 Tel Aviv Women's Pentathlon incomplete but, due to a miscalculation of her total score which went unnoticed at the time, she was given third place and a bronze medal.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Melissa Perrine</span> Australian para-alpine skier

Melissa Perrine is a B2 classified visually impaired para-alpine skier from Australia. She has competed at the four Winter Paralympics from 2010 to 2022. At the 2015 IPC Alpine Skiing World Championships, she won three gold, one silver and one bronze medals. At the 2018 Winter Paralympics, she won two bronze medals.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mitchell Gourley</span> Australian Paralympic alpine skier

Mitchell Gourley is an Australian Paralympic alpine skier who competed for Australia in the downhill, super-G, giant slalom, slalom and super combined events at four Winter Paralympics - 2010 to 2022. He was Australian team co-captain with Joany Badenhorst at the 2018 Winter Paralympics. At the 2022 Winter Paralympics, he and Melissa Perrine carried the Australian flag in the opening ceremony. At the 2017 IPC Alpine Skiing World Championships in Tarvisio, Italy he won the gold medal in the men's Super Combined Standing.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Australia at the 2016 Summer Paralympics</span> Sporting event delegation

Australia competed at the 2016 Summer Paralympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, from 7 to 18 September 2016. Australia repeated its 2012 Summer Paralympics achievement in finishing fifth of the medal tally.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Australia at the 2020 Summer Paralympics</span> Australian participation at the 2020 Summer Paralympics

Australia participated at the 2020 Summer Paralympics in Tokyo, Japan, from 24 August to 5 September 2021. It sent its largest away team - 179 athletes to a Summer Paralympics. Australia finished eighth on the gold medal table and sixth on the total medals table.

Martha Sandoval Gustafson is a Mexican-Canadian Paralympic medallist in table tennis, swimming, and athletics. As a Mexican Paralympian, Gustafson won a total of twelve medals, which includes three golds at the 1976 Summer Paralympics and two golds and the 1980 Summer Paralympics. After she moved to Canada in 1981, Gustafson won six golds and one silver at the 1984 Summer Paralympics for Canada. In 2020, Gustafson became part of the Canadian Disability Hall of Fame.

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