With two years until the opening ceremony for Rio 2016 the Australian Paralympic Committee (APC) is calling for the nation to get behind the Team as it embarks on the road to Rio. APC CEO Jason Hellwig said that although the Team will be aiming to win as many Gold medals as possible, success is equally about the impact the athletes have on the hearts and minds of the Australian people.
“The community response following London was incredible, it showed the best of the Australian spirit and in turn Paralympic sport is becoming a major part of Australia’s sporting identity. We want to see this continue. We want people to continue sharing the highs and lows that the Team experience, and we want to show that the Paralympic movement has the ability to change lives and attitudes,” Hellwig said.
Mr Hellwig explained that we want to send as many athletes to Rio as possible to increase our chances of a top five finish, but we need as many people to support our fundraising efforts as possible, and as many businesses to join the Paralympic corporate family. With two new sports making their debut at Rio, Para-canoe and Para-triathlon, and with new talent identified as strong contenders for medals by both their National Federations and the APC, Hellwig believes that now is a great opportunity to show support and track their progress right up to Rio.