16.10.2009

Paralympic athletics on track for success

As the path towards Paralympic glory continues to get tougher, the Australian Paralympic Committee (APC) and Athletics Australia emerged from this week’s joint management committee meeting vowing to meet the challenges ahead and enhance Australia’s position on the world stage.
 
The two parties met in Melbourne to review their ongoing partnership, and discuss shared objectives and opportunities as the 2011 world championships and 2012 London Paralympic Games approach.
 
Australia has a proud record of success in the sport of athletics at the Paralympic Games, a record enhanced further by the performances of the Australian team at the 2008 Beijing Paralympic Games. Australia returned home from that meet with a haul of 23 medals - 10 gold, six silver and seven bronze – to finish second behind host China on the athletics medal tally.
 
Further success remains the major objective for the London Games according to Jason Hellwig, the Australian Paralympic Committee’s General Manager for Sport Operations and Development, but he admits there is a long road ahead if that objective is to be met.
 
“The APC’s partnership with Athletics Australia is generally on track but we are certainly aware that athletics at the Paralympic Games has never been more competitive as it is now,” Hellwig said.
 
“For that reason, the APC and Athletics Australia have a clear focus on the work that still needs to be done at all levels, particularly in regards to improving preparation and development of emerging athletes, coaches and support staff.”
 
Eric Hollingsworth, Athletics Australia’s High Performance Manager, said that while Australia continues to be a world force in Paralympic athletics, a failure to build on the system currently in place would result in a rapid downward slide.
 
“We have a large number of quality athletes coming through the system, and it is the job of Athletics Australia and the APC to continue to provide them with the best opportunities possible,” Hollingsworth said.
 
“We have shown in the past that our program produces athletes that can succeed on the biggest stage, but the challenge for us is to continually improve the development pathways to ensure ongoing success, even as we face a level of competition that is tougher than ever.”
 
Further talent identification across all disability classes, particularly through the APC’s successful Toyota Paralympic Talent Search Program, remains another high priority, as does the staging of an international athletics meet within Australia in the lead-up to the next IPC World Championships in Christchurch in early 2011.

With the Australian Paralympic Committee