Human Interest |
Sport Specific Information |
Club / Team |
ACT Academy of Sport: Australia |
General Interest |
Memorable sporting achievement |
Being named the 1985 Young Australian of the Year. (paralympic.org.au, 26 Aug 2010) |
Other sports |
She has competed in athletic, swimming, lawn bowls, wheelchair racing, javelin, discus, shot put and table tennis. (paralympic.org.au, australianoftheyear.org.au, 26 Aug 2010) |
Hero / Idol |
Athlete Carl Lewis. (paralympic.org.au, 26 Aug 2010) |
Awards and honours |
She was named 1985 Young Australian of the Year. (paralympic.org.au, 26 Aug 2010)
She also recieved the Order of Australia medal in 1988 for service to sport. (pacificschoolgames.edu.au, 26 Aug 2010) |
Sport Specific Information |
Name of coach |
Ray Epstein |
International Debut |
Year |
2000 |
Competing for |
Australia |
Tournament |
International Tournament |
Location |
Sydney |
Further Personal Information |
Occupation |
Public Servant |
General Interest |
Sporting philosophy / motto |
"Always enjoy what you are doing and try your hardest but have fun in the events that you compete in." (pacificschoolgames.edu.au, 26 Aug 2010) |
Other information |
DISABILITY She was born with spina bifida. As a fourteen-year-old she won sixteen medals, including nine gold, at the Australian Junior Wheelchair Games where she competed in events as diverse as wheelchair racing, javelin, discus, shot put, table tennis and swimming. In being named Young Australian of the Year in 1985, Australia Day Council Chairman and tennis legend John Newcombe described her feats as "an inspiration not only to the disabled but to the able bodied. Such excellence cannot go unrecognised." (australianoftheyear.org.au, 26 Aug 2010) |