Written by Jaryd Clifford – Runner’s Tribe
On Saturday, thousands of you will pack out Lakeside Stadium in Melbourne to witness the most anticipated Australian athletics meet of the year. With only seven years until Brisbane 2032, many of you will be treated to your first looks at some of the athletes destined to etch their names into Australian sporting folklore…but sadly, you very well might miss some too.
On the biggest athletics stage in the nation, you will have to take your seats three hours before Gout Gout steps onto the track if you want to witness the only two races showcasing not just the future stars of the Brisbane Paralympics, but also one of the greatest Paralympians to ever don the green and gold. If you don’t know who I’m talking about, then I’ll tell you. It’s James Turner. But that’s okay, it’s hard to learn about us Paralympians when we aren’t given the opportunity to show you who we are during prime time.
As one of our bright young stars, Mali Lovell, says so poignantly: “everyone is talking about the golden era of athletics and that includes us para-athletes too.”
So, please don’t leave us behind. We can do a lot for this sport, I promise you that.
For those of you who do want to get behind our incredible team in the lead up to Brisbane, let’s start with Saturday. Here’s all you need to know, with some quotes from those in action about why you shouldn’t miss it – and there’s a few words from me at the end too!
At 5:48pm and 5:56pm – well before the exclusive television window mandated by World Athletics for gold level events but also scheduled before every single bronze level event too – the Ambulant 100m races will take place. I know for some, because I’ve heard it all before, having us at the beginning means we can all get on with the ‘real’ meet. But for us, this is as real as it gets. For those that get the chance, this is our biggest stage in Australia too.
First then, to James Turner, an athlete you don’t want to miss. He’s a T36 coordination-impaired athlete who runs the 100m in a blistering 11.72 and 400m in 51.54. He’s won four Paralympic gold medals to go with seven world titles and he’s so fast that he plans to run against less-impaired athletes at the 2026 Commonwealth Games. On Saturday, he’s gunning to break his own world record, which means “the para races at Maurie Plant will have the highest probability of a world record being broken,” says Turner himself.This shot at history doesn’t deserve to be held in front of a half-empty grandstand, so make sure you’re there early enough to rally around one of the all-time greats of our sport.
Turner will be up against a strong field that includes para-athletics team captain and Paralympic medallist Chad ‘The White Tiger’ Perris (T13, vision). For him, showcasing para-events on this stage is crucial for Australian Athletics if they want a successful Brisbane Paralympics. “People are going to go to the Brisbane Paralympic Games and be looking for personalities to support and to follow along with,” says Perris. “People are starting to identify those names and there’s some kids in these races that aren’t just going to be there, they’re going to be fighting for the medals too. It will be so much better for those Brisbane crowds to start learning those names as soon as possible and follow along for the full journey and that must start now.”
Also in the field will be Kiwi global medallist Mitch Joynt (T64, lower-limb), Aussie Paralympian Jaydon Page (T47, upper-limb) who’s chasing redemption after narrowly missing the Paris Paralympics last year, and a slew of rising stars including Alexander McKillop (T36), Nathan Jason (T12), Liam Kernick(T37), and Ullrich Muller (T38).
Just moments later, you will be treated to some of the athletes that will undoubtedly headline the Brisbane Paralympics. At just 20 and 22 years old respectively, Mali Lovell (T36) and Rhiannon Clarke (T38) are already global medallists. Fresh off an Oceania Record at the Delhi Grand Prix, Clarke says that these races will be “one of the highlights of the night”. And she’s not wrong. Also fighting for the win in Melbourne will be three-time Paralympic gold medallist from New Zealand Anna Grimaldi (T47) and Australian Paralympic stalwart Ella Pardy (T38). Hot on their heels will be another crop of young talent including Paralympic debutant Abby Craswell (T36), and two athletes chasing national team debuts later this year in Akeesha Snowden (T37) and Kirra Wright (T36).
All of these athletes are aware of how important it is for them to stand on that start line come Saturday, particularly Rhiannon Clarke. “It’s very important that Australia’s best para-athletes are showcased at events like this, especially in the lead up to Brisbane,” says Clarke. “We have some of the greatest Paralympians right here in Australia who deserve recognition and celebration for their dedication and achievements. Increasing the visibility of these races is key to inspiring the next generation, but it also helps the wider community better understand para-athletics and create greater respect for the athletes.”
Including Paralympians during prime-time slots should be a no-brainer as Brisbane 2032 approaches. Our teammates in the pool competed at their Paralympic trials in races that alternated with their Olympic counterparts. They were front and centre on actual television, not hidden away. That’s why many of you will know the names of Alexa Leary, Col Pearse, and Scooter Patterson. Our sport should want that too and I know many people in our sport do want that, but we can’t keep waiting for tomorrow, it must be now.
I couldn’t be prouder of my teammates, I can’t wait to watch them show you what they can do on Saturday. You see, our team is like a family, we stick together. We do that because our movement has a proud history of standing up for one another and lifting each other up.
The world didn’t just randomly come to the Paralympic movement one day with open arms. For decades, we competed in stadiums and lived in villages that were being packed up around us. We fought with all our might for everything we’ve ever gotten, we advocated, we told our stories, and we finally captured the world’s attention. Now, we sell out stadiums and perform in front of billions of TV viewers. As the athletes of today, we know that we stand on the shoulders of giants, and it’s now our turn to forge that path forward. And oh boy, there’s still a long way to go.
Maybe one day, and hear me out on this one, we can dream of being the last race before the TV broadcast at the biggest meet in Australia. But perhaps, I’m dreaming too big…
Good luck guys, go show ‘em what we’ve got!
