Australian Paralympic athletes have achieved outstanding success at the 2011 IPC Athletics World Championships in Christchurch, New Zealand, which also served as a qualification event for the London 2012 Paralympic Games. Australian athletes won eight gold, eight silver and seven bronze.

Eight Australian Institute of Sport (AIS) scholarship holders – Evan O’Hanlon, Katherine Proudfoot, Scott Reardon, Michael Roeger, Brad Scott, Sam Harding, Jodi Elkington and Wade McMahon – were part of the 46-strong Australian team taking on some of the world’s best athletes with disability. The AIS also supported four ACT Academy of Sport (ACTAS) athletes – Hamish McDonald, Richard Nicholson, Louise Ellery and Damien Bowen – through an agreement with ACTAS and Athletics Australia (AA).

AIS athlete Evan O’Hanlon won gold in the 100 and 200 metres as well as silver in the 400 metres; his debut in this new event. Brad Scott claimed silver in the 800 metres and Kathryn Proudfoot took the bronze in the discus (competing in the combined F35–36 class for the first time).

Evan capped off these magnificent performances by teaming up with AIS athletes Scott McMahon and Tim Sullivan to win bronze in the men’s 4 x 100 metre relay (T35–38).

In addition to these achievements, seven AIS Paralympic athletes finished in fourth place:

• Evan O’Hanlon: long jump (T38)
• Katherine Proudfoot: shot-put (F35–36)
• Scott Reardon: 100 metres (T42)
• Michael Roeger: 800 metres (T46)
• Brad Scott: 400 metres (T37)
• Wade McMahon: javelin (F37–38)
• Sam Harding: 800m (T13).

The event also saw the debut of Australia’s next generation of talented AIS athletes: Jodi Elkington, Scott Reardon, Sam Harding, Michael Roeger and Brad Scott.

The high performance manager of the AIS Track and Field program, Tudor Bidder, said the AIS athletes performed strongly, given many were making their debut or competing in different events for the first time. 

‘It was pleasing to see AIS athletes mak[e] their debut, perform strongly and taste success with two gold, two silver and seven fourth places,’ Bidder said.

‘Evan O’Hanlon was a standout performer, winning double gold in the 100 and 200 metres and silver in the 400 metres, which was a good result given he was running in the 400 metre event for the first time. 

‘They have gained valuable experience, which will put them in good stead and will build a platform in the lead-up to the London 2012 Paralympic Games.’

The AIS athletes have been training under the guidance of AIS Paralympic athletics coach Iryna Dvoskina and throwing coach Alison O’Riordan in preparation for the London Games. The AIS is working in partnership with the Australian Paralympic Committee (APC) to deliver this aspect of the AA Paralympic program. It supports athletes with disability through leading coach and sports science expertise and world-class training facilities.

AIS Paralympic athletes also benefit from assistance through the Paralympic Preparation Program, funded by the Australian Sports Commission through the APC and AA, for coaching, training, equipment, sports science and medical support, travel and competition.

Australian Paralympic athletes at the 2011 IPC Athletics World Championships

Women

• Carlee Beattie: one bronze (100 metres, T46) and one silver (long jump)
• Kelly Cartwright: two gold (100 metres, long jump, T42)
• Rachael Dodds: one gold (200 metres) and one silver (100 metres)
• Louise Ellery: one bronze (shot-put, F32, F33, F34)
• Jessica Gallagher: one silver (long jump, F13) and one bronze (javelin, F13)
• Madelaine Hogan: one gold (javelin, F46) 
• Katherine Proudfoot: one bronze (discus, F35–36)

Men

• Richard Colman: one gold (800 metres, T53) and one silver (400 metres, T53) 
• Kurt Fearnley: one gold (marathon, T53) 
• Wade McMahon: one bronze (4 x 100 metre relay)
• Evan O’Hanlon: two gold (100 metres and 200 metres, T38) and one silver (400 metres, T38) and one bronze (4 x 100 metre relay)
• Tim Page: one silver (1500 metres, T20)
• Simon Patmore: one bronze (200 metres, T46)
• Brad Scott: one silver (800 metres, T37) and one bronze (4 x 100 metre relay)
• Russell Short: one silver (shot-put, T12)
• Tim Sullivan: one bronze (400 metres and 4 x 100 metre relay, T38)