Trying to bridge the gap to the Paralympic podium while working in retail and raising his young family, wheelchair racer Luke Bailey is about to add the challenge of relocating to Canberra as he goes all in on his dream.
The third of four athletes to be profiled this month for The Athletics Foundation, you can mark the end of the 2025 financial year with a tax-deductible donation to help athletes like Luke perform on the world stage. More information about The Athletics Foundation can be found HERE.
A two-time Paralympian and family man, Luke was born with caudal regression syndrome and spina bifida before starting wheelchair racing inspired by Paralympic legend Kurt Fearnley.
Currently employed in retail to support both his family and dream of winning a medal on the world stage, Luke is working towards the 2025 World Para Athletics Championships to be hosted in New Delhi, India this September.
“I started at Big W like two weeks after Paris. It’s definitely a good job and nice to know that there are people out there giving me an opportunity and realising that I can do stuff even though I’m in a wheelchair,” Bailey said.
Setting his eyes on relocating to Canberra from his Newcastle base with his partner and son, Luke’s recent training has been compromised by long hours and added pressures, but the rising talent says the move is a worthwhile investment.
“It’s hard to fit in work, training and house hunting, it’s definitely a big challenge. I’m trying to work as much as I can to get the money to move to Canberra, we are both taking any shifts we can to save up,” Bailey said.
“I have been doing all the night shifts at work, so I haven’t been seeing my son before bed during the week. All weekend he has been wanting a cuddle from me, so it’s been hard for him to realise that I am here, I’m just working for the family.”
Finishing in seventh place of the 100m T54 Final at the 2024 Paralympic Games, Luke ticked off another of his goals as a Paralympic finalist, now setting his eyes on the podium as the world number four in 2025.
His move to Canberra to train more closely with coach Fred Periac and fellow Australian wheelchair racers will only bolster his hopes, as Luke looks to close the gap on the podium – describing himself as “right there with them”.
“I feel so much more positive. I’ve done as much as I can in Newcastle and now moving to Canberra with my partner and son, where my coach is based. I have all the support that I need,” Bailey said.
“Doctor, physio, wellbeing – I have everything in one area which is going to make it a lot easier for me. It’s time to start a fresh life and be happy, it’s what I’ve always wanted and it means the world to me.”
Fresh off a personal best of 14.01-seconds over 100m in Nottwil, Luke is approaching the milestone of shattering the 14-second barrier and chasing Geoff Trappett’s Australian record of 13.91.
Recently taking out a personal loan to invest in a custom racing chair from the United States, Luke provides an insight into how expensive wheelchair racing equipment is – with his new chair valued at $13,000.
“It’s definitely high tech. No one in Australia has my new chair and it’s made by a former racer who knows what he’s talking about. He wanted to make a chair for a sprinter who sits with their legs out in front, and that’s how I race,” Bailey said.
He hopes that his training and new wheels can propel him to the next level, set to arrive in Canberra with a clean slate which he will refine with engineers and the team at the Australian Institute of Sport.
“If I want to get that medal at the World Championships or Paralympics, I need to do this move to get somewhere in life,” Bailey said.
“I don’t care how long it takes me. I think I’ve got two more Paralympics left and that would be a good career.”
Like any athlete, Luke has had his doubts, but has silenced them through steady progress.
While the 2028 Olympic and Paralympic Games remain over three years away, the road has already started for many athletes like Luke, and you are invited on the journey by supporting them directly through The Athletics Foundation.
By Lachlan Moorhouse, Australian Athletics
Posted 17/6/2025
