Illawarra South Coast talent has played a key role in helping the Australian Paralympic team produce one of the country's most courageous and successful campaigns during the Games' 61-year history.
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Against unprecedented odds, not least the massive disruption caused by the COVID-19 pandemic over nearly two years leading up to Tokyo 2020, Australia's elite Para-athletes won 80 medals to finish sixth on the overall medal tally and 21 gold to come eighth on the gold medal count.
Athletics Wollongong Sprinter James Turner claimed silver in the T36 100m final on Friday night, to go with gold he claimed in the 400m. He's now a three-time Paralympic medalist having claimed 800m gold in Rio.
Werri Beach's Amanda Reid was one of the stars of the Games with a world-record-breaking gold C1-C3 500-metre time trial.
Roller Hawks veteran and all-time great Brett Stibners called time on his storied career on the back of his fourth Olympics, a run that saw him claim gold (in London) and silver (in Beijing).
Tristan Knowles was also part of the Aussie Rollers fifth-place campaign, while Hannah Dodd was part of the women's team, the Gliders.
Read more: Amanda Reid wins gold in world record time
Fellow Illawarra South Coast athletes Jasmine Greenwood, Jonathan Goerlach, Victoria Davies, Emma Booth and Nikki Ayers performed solidly were also part of a stellar campaign for the Aussie team.
"I'm so incredibly proud of every member of this squad for what they've produced in the face of a lead-in to the Games that was more difficult than any Australian Team has experienced before," Chef de Mission Kate McLoughlin said.
"A lot gets spoken about the resilience and determination of para-athletes.
"But I don't think those qualities have ever been more clearly displayed than by this incredible team over not just these two weeks here in Tokyo, but right throughout this five-year Games cycle.
"Congratulations to every one of our awesome para-athletes.
"You have performed brilliantly on the world stage and carried yourselves with dignity and class, truly demonstrating the best of the Australian Paralympic movement.
"I'd also like to express my deep thanks to all the people who worked relentlessly over many months to put in place the very complex logistics that made this campaign possible."
During the 12 days of competition, Werri Beach's Reid and Sussex Inlet's Greenwood both won medals for the South Coast - achievements which will see them historically remunerated for their efforts.
"Sending this Australian team to the 2020 Paralympic Games was a colossal effort," Paralympics Australia chief executive Lynne Anderson said.
"It could not have been achieved without the incredible level of cooperation and teamwork we saw between so many people in Australia and Japan - we will forever be grateful that they delivered on their promise to hold an exceptional Paralympic Games.
"I'm so proud of what we've collectively achieved, bringing joy to millions of people, showing that inclusion and diversity are strengths to be embraced and highlighting the very best of humanity."
Australia competed in 18 of the 22 sports on the Tokyo 2020 program and there were numerous highlights, including:
- In para-swimming, Australia finished with 33 medals, including eight gold, 10 silver and 15 bronze, four more medals overall than at Rio 2016.
- In para-athletics, despite lacking elite competition after the 2019 world championships, the Australian para-athletics team achieved two world records, six personal bests and 18 season bests. The team won four gold medals, up from three at Rio 2016, seven silver medals and eight bronze.
- In para-cycling: Australia won six track cycling medals, including three gold, and seven road cycling medals, including one gold.
- In para-table tennis, the 11-strong Australian team claimed six medals, including two gold and four silver.
- In para-canoeing, which was introduced to the program at Rio, Australia won one gold, one silver and one bronze - a feat they topped in Tokyo with two gold and one silver medal.
- In boccia, Australia won its first medal since the Atlanta Paralympics 25 years ago when Dan Michel, competing at his second Games, won bronze in the mixed individual BC3 - also marking the country's maiden individual medal in the sport.
- In goalball, Australia's women's goalball team, the Aussie Belles, enjoyed their most successful Games, with two wins.
- In para-taekwondo, Janine Watson had the honour of becoming Australia's first representative in the new Paralympic sport of para-taekwondo and came away with the added honour of becoming our first medallist, winning bronze in the K44 +58kg class.
- In para-equestrian for the first time, all three riders representing Australia placed in the top 10 of their respective grades.
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Mitch Jennings
Sports writer. Sport is my passion, rugby league my first love.
Sports writer. Sport is my passion, rugby league my first love.
Courtney Ward
Sports Journalist for South Coast Register and Milton-Ulladulla Times, who loves all things sport and travel. All views are my own.
Sports Journalist for South Coast Register and Milton-Ulladulla Times, who loves all things sport and travel. All views are my own.
