Griffith Para athletes made nearly 18 per cent of the Australian tally

Australian athletes brought home 63 medals in the 2024 Paris Paralympic Games of which Griffith University athletes contributed 11, making up nearly 18 per cent of the Australian medal tally. 

Griffith University again had the highest number of student-athletes competing at the Games from all Australian universities. 

Twelve Griffith students and alumni competed at the Games, and won two gold medals, three silver medals and seven bronze medals (two of which were team medals).

Griffith Sports College Manager Naomi McCarthy said it was amazing to see such a large contingent of our student-athletes on the world stage in Paris doing so well. 

“The number of medals and incredible performances at the Paralympics from these athletes was inspiring,” Ms McCarthy said.  

Women made up exactly half of Griffith athletes at the 2024 Paralympics. 

Inclusive Play Lead at Inclusive Futures: Reimagining Disability, Professor Simone Fullagar, was in Paris to support team Griffith and conduct research.

“Griffith athletes are leading advocates for greater gender equity in Para sport on and off the field,” Professor Fullagar said. 

“The emergence of mixed gender teams in the Paralympics is important for ensuring women’s talents are recognised, and development is supported within our sport system. 

“The incredible performance of the Steelers wheelchair rugby team will continue to be a key memory from these Games, and it was thrilling because Australia leads the way internationally with three women players in the team. 

“Griffith alumnus Ella Sabljak continues to push the boundaries of disability sport for women and girls with her advocacy and education for change.” 

Griffith Athletes in action

Leading Australia’s Paralympic team at the opening ceremony, flagbearer Madison de Rozario OAM (Bachelor of Business) played a monumental part at Paris, winning Australia’s final medal of the Games, silver, in the Women’s Marathon T53. Madison also won a bronze for the Para-Athletics Women’s 5000m T53.

Tom Gallagher (Bachelor of Architectural Design) delivered Australia’s first Paralympic gold medal and received the first gold medal of his career after winning the Men’s 50m Freestyle S10. Tom went on to win two bronze medals in the Men’s 100m Freestyle S10 and the 100m Backstroke S10. 

Named co-captain of the 2024 Paralympic sport team, Curtis McGrath (Bachelor of Aviation) won gold in the Men’s Kayak single 200m KL2, crossing the line 41 seconds ahead of Great Britain and Ukraine, and has now won a gold medal in each of the three Paralympic Games he has raced in. He narrowly missed out on a medal in the Men’s Va’a single 200m VL3 where he finished 4^th.  

Rowan Cruthers (Bachelor of Public Relations and Communication) brought home two silver medals in the Para Swimming Men’s 100m Freestyle S10 and the Mixed 4x100m Freestyle Relay 34 Points. Rowan also won bronze in the Men’s 50m Freestyle S10.

After winning both semifinals,Susan Seipel (Bachelor of Psychology, Honours) claimed a bronze medal in the para-canoe Women’s Va’a Single 200m VL2, and finished fifth in the Women’s Kayak Single 200m final KL2. 

Playing for the Rollers wheelchair basketball team, Tom O’Neill-Thorne (Bachelor of International Business/Bachelor of Government and International Relations), beat the Netherlands 82-75 in the men’s play-off, but lost to Great Britain, USA and Spain in heats to finish 5^th overall.  

In her Paralympic debut, Abby Craswell (Bachelor of Occupational Therapy) finished 4th in the Women’s 100m sprint T36 Heat, 0.38 seconds behind the bronze medallist. 

Playing for the Australian Steelers wheelchair rugby mixed team, Ella Sabljak (Bachelor of Primary Education) and Josh Nicholson (Bachelor of Architectural Design) won two preliminary rounds and one semifinal before taking home bronze medals against Great Britain 50-48. 
 
Melissa-Anne Tanner (Bachelor of Laws, Honours) competed in the Para-archery Women’s Individual Compound Open Standing elimination round. 

Katja Dedekind (Bachelor of Criminology and Criminal Justice) finished 4th in her heat of the Women’s 50m Freestyle S13 event with a time of 28.23 seconds. 

As the youngest competitor in thePara-Triathlon PTS5, Jack Howell (Bachelor of Education)finished 7^th. 

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