The time is now to get excited about the 2024 Paralympics, as it kicks off today (August 29) in Paris.
Happening until 9 September, the 2024 Paris Paralympics will see a total of 158 para-athletes represent Australia in 17 sports in the French capital.
Below, we share five of the female Paralympians that you should know and keep your eye on. Their stories are true representations of the resilience required to compete at the highest level.
Madison De Rozario– Para Athletics
One of Australia’s greatest athletes, Madison de Rozario will be competing in her fifth Paralympic Games. Already a gold medalist in the events of 800m T53 and marathon T54 during the Tokyo 2020 Paralympics, de Rozario will be a strong medal contender in Paris.
Training under the legendary Louise Sauvage, de Rozario has been a powerful advocate for people with disabilities. She was also named this year’s Opening Ceremony flag bearer for Australia, alongside swimmer Brenden Hall.
Before heading to Paris, de Rozario spoke to Women’s Agenda about her goal to inspire the next generation of Paralympians and break stereotypes for women in sport.
“We’re seeing really multifaceted women who are strong in the fields, but they’re also soft, and they’re kind and they’re honest, and they’re open and they’re not qualities that we’ve associated with sport before,” she said. “But they are qualities associated with girlhood and womanhood and femininity.”
Shae Graham– Para rugby
Librarian by day, and wheelchair rugby player by night, Shae Graham is a force to be reckoned with. She’s the first female athlete to represent Australia in wheelchair rugby.
When Shae was 18, she was involved in a devastating car crash that fractured her spine and pelvis, caused brain injury and ruptured her bladder.
Almost a decade later, Shae took up wheelchair rugby, making her international debut at the 2019 Four Nations in Alabama, USA. She was selected to compete at her first Paralympic Games in Tokyo in 2020
Alexa Leary– Para Swimming
The very definition of resilience and determination, Alexa Leary is a former triathlete who nearly died after a catastrophic bike accident in 2021 that left her unconscious in the ICU, with doctors telling her parents to prepare to say goodbye.
She spent over 100 days in hospital with major brain damage, blood clots and several broken bones.
Nevertheless, Leary recovered, learning to walk and talk again. She started swimming as another avenue of rehab, and in June this year, raced in the Australian swimming trials in Brisbane where she booked her ticket to the 2024 Paris Paralympics, to fulfill a lifelong dream.
“She wasn’t meant to live, let alone walk or talk, ” Leary’s mother, Belinda told Channel 9, as she choked back tears in the stands after her daughter’s race.
“We got a different daughter back. I love her personality. She’s funny, she’s crazy, but most importantly she’s fulfilling her dreams and what she wanted to do prior … She always wanted to go to the Olympics. That was her thing, always.”
Leary will be competing in the 50m Freestyle S9 and 100m Freestyle S9 in Paris.
Telaya Blacksmith– Para Athletics
A Walpiri woman originally from Lajamanu in the Northern Territory and currently living in Sydney, Telaya Blacksmith has been honing her skills as a runner as well as a promising footballer with the Sydney Swans AFL Academy.
Securing her selection for the Australian Paralympics Team in Athletics, Telaya has become Australia’s 16th known Indigenous Paralympian.
She holds Australian age records in the 100m, 200m and long jump, but is a 400m runner at the international level. Fittingly, her idol growing up was the great Cathy Freeman, and she told Paralympics Australia her list now includes Nova Peris and AFLW player Steph Williams as well.
She describes herself as “a fast, friendly girl from the NT ready to show the world what I’ve got”.
“I represent my family every time I race and know that I am an inspiration for other young Aboriginal kids,” she said.
Telaya will compete in the 400m T20 and Long Jump T20 in Paris.
Ameera Lee– Para Archery
Competing in para-archery, Ameera Lee lives with multiple sclerosis, a condition she was diagnosed with after initially pursuing a career in education.
In 2016, Ameera found her start in the sport and it didn’t take long for her to attract the attention of one of the world’s most esteemed Para-archery coaches, Ricci Cheah. Together, they began working towards her selection to the Australian Para-archery team, and in 2018, Ameera made her green and gold debut.
At the 2023 Para-archery World Championship in the Czech Republic, Ameera’s performances earned a Paralympics quota spot for Paris 2024, in her classification.
For Ameera, fulfilling her dream at the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games is bigger than herself. She says she wants to inspire her 15-year-old son Huthaifa, as well as to prove to others like her with multiple sclerosis that a diagnosis is not a death sentence – the opportunities to take back control of their lives are endless, and one of the ways to do that is through Para-archery.