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Two years after Australia’s Paralympic team finished eighth in Tokyo with a total of 80 medals, it’s suddenly only 12 months away until Paris 2024 and the next chance for the country’s top paralympic athletes to strut their stuff. The countdown is well and truly on.
More than 4400 athletes will descend on France to compete across 22 sports, in 549 events. Two-time Paralympian and wheelchair rugby gold medallist Andrew Edmondson hopes to be among them.
Two-time Paralympian Andrew Edmondson.Credit: Edwina Pickles
“The last Games were a huge mess with a lot of things being pushed back an extra year, and given that, it’s just come around so quickly,” he said.
“We had our major tournament in between as well, so it is exciting to think it’s only 12 months away.”
Edmondson was part of Australia’s wheelchair rugby team that won gold in 2016, and will be celebrating 10 years on the team in 2024.
But after Japan snagged the only qualification spot for Oceania, Australia’s team, The Steelers, are left fighting for one of three final spots in Paris.
Andrew Edmondson of Australia against Japan at the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games.Credit: Getty
In his 10 years, Edmondson has experienced the highs and lows of life as a professional athlete – from being part of the top team in the world, to losing to Japan in the bronze medal match at Tokyo.
“This sport and this team has changed my life in many different ways, and we’ve had such great success,” Edmondson said.
“It was really tough to get on the team, and to finally crack the team and be part of it for the last 10 years is something that I’m very proud of and very grateful for. I love this team, I love this sport and what it brings to me, and me being part of it, the example it sets for other people, but also my family that have been through a lot with me.”
Dylan Alcott and Heath Davidson after their quad doubles final victory in Rio.Credit: Australian Paralympic Committee
Experienced Paralympian Heath Davidson is hoping the competition in Paris will help him forge his own identity and deliver something that has so far eluded him – any medal in singles competition.
A close friend and long-time doubles partner of Dylan Alcott, Davidson will lead Australia’s charge in wheelchair tennis.
Davidson won Paralympic gold with Alcott in the quad doubles seven years ago and a silver medal with him in Tokyo. The 36-year-old made a career breakthrough by reaching this year’s quad singles Wimbledon final.
“I fully believe in my tennis and my capabilities that I can at least play off for a medal,” said Davidson, who returned to wheelchair tennis after a decade-long hiatus ahead of the 2016 Rio Games.
“At this stage it looks like I probably won’t be playing doubles over there because we don’t have a partner for me.
“I’m just going to throw everything I can into the singles. If I can potentially play off for a gold or a silver or the one medal I haven’t got yet, the bronze, I’d be pretty happy.”
Davidson says he’s “sticking around just for now” to continue to be a positive influence for any eligible youngsters who are weighing up competitive sport such as wheelchair tennis.
“For the next gen to see somebody in a wheelchair playing elite sport on TV, playing grand slams, that’s enough for me. That is partly the reason why I’m doing what I’m doing because I am getting old and the body doesn’t like me training and travelling as much as I used to.”
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