Australia at the 2008 Summer Paralympics

Infobox Paralympics Australia
games=2008 Summer
competitors= 170
sports= 13
flagbearer= Russell Short
officials= 121
gold=23
silver=29
bronze=27
total=79
rank=5

Australia sent a delegation to compete at the 2008 Summer Paralympics in Beijing. The country sent 121 officialscite news |title=Missing chair provides Paralympic scare |news=The Sydney Morning Herald |date=2008-09-02 |url=http://news.smh.com.au/sport/missing-chair-provides-paralympic-scare-20080902-47n2.html |accessdate=2008-09-03 ] and 170 athletes in 13 sports to Beijing. It was the country's largest ever Paralympic delegation. [cite news |last=Murdoch |first=Alex |title=Beijing Paralympics lose friendly tone in gold hunt |work=The Courier-Mail |date=2008-09-05 |url=http://www.news.com.au/couriermail/story/0,23739,24294775-10389,00.html |accessdate=2008-09-04] The delegation's chef de mission is Darren Peters.

Medalists

Athletics

Representing Australia in athletics will be [ [http://news.theage.com.au/sport/aussie-paralympic-athletics-squad-named-20080701-2zz1.html "Aussie Paralympic athletics squad named"] , "The Age", July 1, 2008] :

Men
Damien Bowen, Matthew Cameron, Aaron Chatman, Richard Colman, Roy Daniell, Rodney Farr, Kurt Fearnley, Heath Francis, Gerrard Gosens, Greg Hibberd, Hamish McDonald, Wade McMahon, Christopher Mullins, Richard Nicholson, Evan O'Hanlon, Paul Raison, Michael Roeger, Brad Scott, Russell Short, Ian Speed, Tim Sullivan, Darren Thrupp, Stephen Wilson, and one other athlete yet to be named.

Women
Angela Ballard, Carlee Beattie, Jennifer Bryce, Gemma Buchholz, Kelly Cartwright, Christie Dawes, Madison De Rozario, Louise Ellery, Amanda Fraser, Jessica Gallagher, Courtney Harbeck, Madeline Hogan, Kirrilee McPherson, Elizabeth McIntosh, Brydee Moore, Jemima Moore, Kathryn Parrish, Katherine Proudfoot, Tahlia Rotumah, Charlotte Saville, Julie Smith, Noni Thompson, Jodi Willis-Roberts, and Christine Wolf.

Jodi Willis-Roberts, Russell Short, and Darren Thrupp will all be competing at the Paralympics for the sixth time. Evan O'Hanlon is described by "The Age" as the gold medal favourite for the 100m and 200m sprints in the men's cerebral palsy events. [ [http://news.theage.com.au/sport/aussie-paralympic-athletics-squad-named-20080701-2zz1.html "Aussie Paralympic athletics squad named"] , "The Age", July 1, 2008] Sprinter Christopher Mullins developed chicken pox while training in Hong Kong and was forced to remain behind as his teammates continued on to Beijing. His condition is currently being monitored, with the hope that he will recover before his events are to begin.

Basketball

* Dylan Alcott [ [http://wwos.ninemsn.com.au/article.aspx?id=605304 "Record 170 named in Paralympics team"] , AAP, July 29, 2008]

Cycling

Included on the Australian cycling is Michael Milton, a four-time gold medalist as a skier in the Winter Paralympics. [cite news |last=Fitzgerald |first=Peter |title=Security's not peachy keen, but cycling hope Milton is |work=The Canberra Times |date=2008-09-02 |url=http://www.canberratimes.com.au/news/local/sport/olympics/securitys-not-peachy-keen-but-cycling-hope-milton-is/1259965.aspx |accessdate=2008-09-03 ] Mark Le Flohic, gold medalist at the 2000 and 2004 Summer Paralympics, was to take part in the Beijing games but had to pull out due to injury. Le Flohic broke his collar bone during training one week before the games were to begin. [cite news |title=Dual gold medallist withdraws from Paralympics |publisher=ABC News |date=2008-09-03 |url=http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2008/09/03/2354246.htm?section=sport |accessdate=2008-09-03 ]

Equestrian

* Grace Bowman [ [http://wwos.ninemsn.com.au/article.aspx?id=605304 "Record 170 named in Paralympics team"] , AAP, July 29, 2008]

ailing

Australians will compete in the following events in sailing [ [http://www.sailing.org/24411.php "National Line Up For 2008 Paralympic Sailing Competition"] , International Association for Disabled Sailing, July 16, 2008] :
* Single-Person Keelboat - 2.4mR
* Two-Person Keelboat - SKUD18
* Three-Person Keelboat - Sonar

hooting

* Elizabeth Kosmala [ [http://wwos.ninemsn.com.au/article.aspx?id=605304 "Record 170 named in Paralympics team"] , AAP, July 29, 2008]

Media coverage

In Australia, the Australian Broadcasting Corporation provided television coverage of the games.

ee also

*Australia at the 2008 Summer Olympics

External links

* [http://en.beijing2008.com/83/66/column211716683.shtml Beijing 2008 Paralympic Games Official Site]
* [http://www.paralympic.org International Paralympic Committee]
* [http://www.pm.gov.au/media/Speech/2008/speech_0383.cfm "Remarks at the announcement of the Australian 2008 Paralympics Team"] , official website of the Prime Minister of Australia, July 29, 2008
* [http://www.news.com.au/dailytelegraph/story/0,22049,24288669-5014066,00.html "Top 10 Aussies to watch"] , "Daily Telegraph", September 4, 2008

References