Western Australian Sport and Recreation Minister Mia Davies has recently announced that Paralympic athletes are $150,000 closer to getting to the Rio 2016 Paralympic Games thanks to funding from the State Government.
“The Australian Paralympic Team is an important sporting team on the national landscape and they help shape community attitudes towards disability,” Ms Davies said. Ms Davies explained that It’s hoped the Paralympic team will number more than 150 Australian athletes competing in up to 15 sports. West Australian athletes training for a place on the team include wheelchair basketballer Shaun Norris, recent world champion wheelchair racer Madison de Rozario, runner Brad Scott and para-sailors Colin Harrison and Russell Boaden.
“These athletes are great role models to encourage West Australians with disability to participate in sport and are wonderful ambassadors for the power of sport,” Ms Davies commented “The Paralympics and Olympics also encourage many young people at grassroots level to try a sport or continue to pursue their dreams towards high performance and this has such a positive impact on creating active communities,” Ms Davies added.

Australia has competed at every Paralympic Games and finished in the top five at every summer competition since Barcelona in 1992.