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After competing internationally for more than two decades, multi medal Paralympic wheelchair racer Christie Dawes has rightfully earned a reputation for being one of the fiercest competitors in the game.
With the 2032 Brisbane Games only a few years away, Powerd sat down with the Newcastle based athlete to ask whether she thinks Australia has what it takes to pull off the best games since the 2000 Paralympics.
“Every Paralympics I've been to, or commentated at…the standards rise every time in terms of athleticism, but also games delivery. They take what works at one games…and make it bigger and better for the next games,” she says. “They also take the things that they need to work on and try and rectify that.”
The three time Paralympic medalist says she believes Australians have a wonderful attitude towards disability and difference.
This younger generation has grown up with around disability and difference for their entire lives. They're of the age where they can enjoy their total acceptance and I think it will just be a complete embrace of athletes and the games
Christie Dawes
Preparations to make Brisbane more accessible for the 2032 Games are already underway, with Guide Dogs Queensland announcing a major plan to double services and reshape accessibility across the state.
“We want accessibility to be seen as a vital part of how Queensland grows. Most importantly, we want to bring the community with us by building momentum through real stories that show what inclusion looks like,” Guide Dogs Queensland CEO Jock Beveridge says.
While many sports have been included in the Games over the years, there’s one which has yet to shine in the Paralympic Games - Powerchair Football.
Power Chair Football is a fast-paced, high-impact ball sport designed for individuals who use electric wheelchairs for their daily mobility. Powerchair Football is a modified version of football (or soccer) played by powerchair users. The sport features specially modified powerchairs and an oversized ball and is played on an indoor court. It is fast paced, highly tactical and showcases the skills of players.
The president of the New South Wales Powerchair Football Association, Jason Ryan, says that although Powerchair Football is not a Paralympic sport, the community believes its inclusion is well overdue.
“It's a fantastic sport with great opportunity for everyone to participate. It’s one of the more exciting electric wheelchair sports that you'd ever find…as one of the fastest, most high impact sports. It’s one of the most watchable games. It's fantastic from a audience perspective.”
Though the sport has applied for inclusion in the Paralympics in the past, Mr Ryan claims many organisations are working at both national and international levels to gain Paralympic recognition for the 2032 Brisbane Games.
He believes the current appetite to implement the game in the Paralympics is strong because the sport is played in more than 27 countries worldwide and already exists as a branch of major national football organisations in countries like the UK and US.
“Having the Paralympics in Brisbane would be huge. We've certainly let the Brisbane 2032 committee know that we are absolutely ready and willing to be part of that big event,” the NSW President says.