For Australian boccia athlete Jean-Paul 'JP' La Fontaine, achieving his full potential on the world stage isn't just about talent and hard work. It's also about access and opportunity.
That's why the Para Athlete Barrier Fund is so critical for the five-time Australian BC4 champion. He is one of 122 athletes from across 18 sports who have received up to $4000 to help offset a range of necessary expenses such as equipment, travel and carer and support costs.
Run in partnership by the Australian Institute of Sport (AIS) and Paralympics Australia, the Para Athlete Barrier Fund is a key initiative of the Para Uplift.
The Australian Government has invested an additional $54.9 million in Para-sport - doubling previous investment - to fund the Para Uplift, which aims to make Brisbane 2032 Australia's most-successful Games ever by addressing better classification opportunities, access to fit-for-purpose training environments, and specialised coaching and performance support.
"In Australia, we just don't have the same depth of BC4 athletes or specialist coaching," La Fontaine said.
"The Para Athlete Barrier Fund grant helps me access high performance training, whether that's travelling to Sydney to work alongside the program or heading overseas to train and compete with international athletes.
"I know my game is good, but I want it to be great. Having support that helps fill those gaps gives me confidence that I'm on the right path."
Learn more about the Para Athlete Barrier Fund here.
More information about the Para Uplift can be found here.
