It’s just over 300 days until the 2024 Paris Paralympic Games and today the Rockliff Liberal Government has committed $40,000 to help Tasmania’s elite athletes get there.
Minister for Sport and Recreation, Nic Street, said the Paralympics gives some of our top athletes the chance to compete on the world stage and against some of the world’s best.
“This funding will not only support our current athletes, but we also hope it will help attract our next generation of para-athletes,” Minister Street said.
“With three Tasmanian athletes having competed in the last games in Tokyo in 2021, we hope to have the same number in the team for Paris 2024.”
The funding will be administered through Paralympics Australia to assist athletes with the costs associated with sending a team to the Paralympics including travel, logistics, accommodation, equipment, and health and medical support.
Minister Street said since our first Paralympic competitor, Donald Dann in the Netherlands in 1980, a total of 21 Tasmanians had represented Australia at the Games.
“Over the years we have been creating a Tasmanian Paralympic legacy and we want to help current athletes get there as well because they’re not just representing our nation, they’re representing our State,” he said.
“It costs a lot to go to an Olympics, so this funding will help our athletes get there so they can put in the performances of their lives.
“The bottom line is, whether at elite level or in a local park or pool, we want every Tasmanian to get out and give sport and active recreation a go, and we want those pursuing excellence in sport to know they are supported in achieving their best.”
The 2024 Paralympic Games will commence in Paris on 28 August and run through to 8 September.
Comments attributable to Catherine Clark, Paralympics Australia CEO:
“Tasmania has a proud record of Paralympic representation, including three athletes who competed for Australia at Tokyo 2020; rower Alexandra Viney, track bronze medalist Deon Kenzie and three-time Paralympic shot-put thrower Todd Hodgetts.
“With the generous support of the Tasmanian Government through the Tasmanian Institute of Sport, Paralympics Australia will be able to help more high-performance Para-athletes access the resources they need to qualify for Paris 2024 and perform on the world stage.
“On behalf of Paralympics Australia and our aspiring athletes, I want to thank Minister Street and the Tasmanian Government for making this important contribution to our Australian Paralympic Team Appeal.”
