- Western Australia's first dedicated Para Sports Unit launched
- Initiative designed to drive future Paralympic success on the road to 2032 Brisbane Paralympic Games and beyond
- Unit will support up to 40 athletes each year, aiming to discover new talent and increase nation's medal prospects
A new Para Sports Unit has today been launched at the Western Australian Institute of Sport (WAIS) to drive Paralympic success at future Paralympic Games.
The Unit will support a co-ordinated, nationwide approach to reduce barriers to participation and talent identification, enhance performance pathways and develop world-class para-sport coaches in a supportive and inclusive high-performance environment.
The key focus of the Unit is to boost participation in para-sport across Western Australia, discover new talent and increase the nation's medal prospects at future major events.
Up to 40 athletes will be supported each year for a two-year period including athletes newly discovering para-sport, early emerging talent, pre-categorised athletes and sport transfer athletes.
They will receive access to a variety of sports, high-quality coaching, foundational athletic and technical skill development and essential performance support services.
The Unit builds on the WA Labor Government's previous support for Paralympic athletes, including $5,000 grants for athletes who competed at the recent Paris Paralympic Games.
As stated by Sport and Recreation Minister Rita Saffioti:
"WAIS has a strong history of supporting local athletes for decades, and we're proud as a government to be supporting the establishment of this new Para Sports Unit - a first for WA.
"The Unit will play a key role in further breaking down barriers for para-athletes and starting the journey to the 2032 Brisbane Paralympics.
"Making sport accessible for all Western Australians continues to be a priority for our government and it's important we provide these pathways to help identify and support talented athletes to achieve their sporting dreams."
As stated by Disability Services Minister Hannah Beazley:
"Our Cook Government is committed to building a more inclusive Western Australia and ensuring people with disability are empowered to live their lives as they choose, free from barriers.
"Sport plays a vital role in building strong, inclusive communities and the Paralympics are so important in advancing community attitudes to disability showcasing excellence, resilience and talent.
"WA is already home to so many incredible para-athletes who continue to achieve at the highest level on the world stage and are an inspiration for all, and I am so pleased to see the establishment of this new Para Sports Unit at WAIS to nurture the next generation of sporting stars."
