Major Para-sport milestones met ahead of Brisbane 2032

The goal to make Brisbane 2032 Australia’s most successful Paralympic Games on record is on track, with more than 150 new Para-athletes uncovered by the Para Uplift in the past 12 months.

This month marks one year since the first Para Sport Unit was launched in Adelaide at the South Australian Institute of Sport, with facilities now established in every state and territory across the country.

Backed by record investment from the Australian Government, the Para Uplift is Australia’s largest ever effort to grow Para-sport, giving more athletes the support, coaching and pathways they need to reach their full potential not only for Brisbane, but for generations to come.

Led by the Australian Institute of Sport in partnership with Paralympics Australia, the Para Uplift has delivered major milestones since December last year, including:

National network of Para Sport Units: Units have been established in every state and territory around the country to provide more Para-athletes than ever before access to fit-for-purpose training environments, specialised coaching and performance support. The units have identified and are now providing support for 150 new Para-athletes across the country. The Para Sport Units are a partnership and jointly funded by the AIS, Paralympics Australia and the state and territory sport institutes and academies.

Increased direct to athlete funding: 122 current and former Paralympians boosted by grants of up to $4000 through the Para Athlete Barrier Fund to address critical barriers to performance and progress in sport, while a further 66 Para-athletes also received direct grants through Paralympics Australia for critical equipment upgrades and replacements.

Athlete leadership: To ensure the Para Uplift is being driven by those with lived experience, 16 Para-athletes have been recruited in leadership roles, including Paralympians Emily Petricola, Blake Cochrane, Jake Swift, Brad Scott and Richard Nicholson, who are heading the Para Sport Units at SASI, QAS, VIS, WAIS and ACTAS respectively.

More resources for sports: The majority of NSO Para-programs have received a 75 per cent funding increase. 110 new sport wheelchairs have also been ordered for use across the country to cater for increased demand.

Increased engineering support: The extra Australian Government investment has added two Para-sport Engineers to the AIS Engineering team, providing athletes and sports with more support than ever before.

Four-time Paralympic medal-winning swimmer Rachael Watson was one of the more than 100 athletes who received additional funding through the Para Athlete Barrier Fund, with the grant assisting her with the cost of carers during training and at major events.

“The Para Uplift is tackling Para-sport not as a problem but in a way that highlights the positivity that we can bring to this space. And without this, we're not going to make that change that we're trying to see,” Watson said.

“It just shows me that the system is really valuing the support that an athlete needs. It’s something that is going to transform Para-sport in Australia and it’s going to have this long-lasting legacy as well.”

Paralympic bronze medal-winning wheelchair rugby player Shae Graham, who sits on the Para Uplift Steering Group, added: “With this influx of funding and all the brilliant ideas that are around the Para Uplift, it's just such an exciting time to be a Para-athlete.

“There are so many more opportunities for young athletes coming through, but it's also opening opportunities for pre-existing athletes. We've got seven years to grow interest and talent - 2032 is going to be big.”

The Australian Government invested an additional $54.9 million in Para-sport, doubling existing support to create the Para Uplift, which is addressing better classification opportunities, access to fit-for-purpose training environments, and specialised coaching and performance support in the lead-up to the Brisbane 2032 Paralympic Games. 

To learn more about the Para Uplift, visit www.ausport.gov.au/winwell/para-uplift