Australian Paralympians put in performances the entire country can be proud of, securing a top 10 finish on the medal table and making it an unforgettable Games in Paris.

There were 16 South Australian/South Australian Sports Institute (SASI) Para-athletes who represented the nation at Paris 2024 - eight of those making their Paralympic debut. With history made in new events, debutants rising to the challenge, and previous medallists staking their claim – there’s a lot to celebrate as our SASI athletes return home with newfound success.

Para-Athletics

In his fifth Paralympic Games, Michael Roeger secured his first ever Paralympic silver medal with an incredible performance in the Men’s 1500m T46. It’s the first Paralympic medal he’s claimed since winning bronze at Rio 2016.

The Men's 1500m T38 was the only event for Angus Hincksman in his Paralympic debut. He finished in a strong fourth place behind fellow Australian Reece Langdon, and just over one-second off the race winner.

In the Men’s 5000m T13, Matthew Clarke teamed up with Jaryd Clifford as his guide on the track. In a heart-breaking result, the pair was disqualified when the tether between the duo disconnected just inches before crossing the line.

Para-Cycling

Amanda Reid made her mark at another Games, grabbing gold in the Women’s C1-3 500m Time Trial in the National Velodrome. She defended her title in this event having also won gold in Tokyo. On the road, Reid came home 13^th in both the Time Trial and the Road Race.

Meg Lemon returned to her second Paralympics with a bang. In the C4 Individual Time Trial she won silver, one-upping for performance in Tokyo where she came away with bronze. In the Women’s C4 3000m Individual Pursuit she finished 6^th and ended her Paris campaign in 12^th place in the C4-5 Road Race.

Adding another medal to his Paralympic collection, Darren Hicks fought hard to secure bronze in the C2 Individual Time Trial. In the 3000m Individual Pursuit, Hicks finished 5^th in qualifying; and in the C1-3 Road Race final he came in 13^th.

Caitlin Ward (pilot) teamed up with Jess Gallagher in two events. First up, it was the Women’s B Tandem 1000m Time Trial where the powerhouse paring earned themselves a silver medal. In the Women’s B 3000m Individual Pursuit, they finished in 7^th.

Para-Rowing

Leading the charge for Australia’s Para-rowing team were SASI Scholars Jed Altschwager and Nikki Ayers, who stormed down the Vaires-sur-Marne to claim gold in the PR3 mixed double sculls. With this performance, the duo etched themselves in history as the first ever Paralympic gold medallists for the Aussie rowing team.

Para-Swimming

Jesse Aungles and Ella Jones made a splash in the pool, lining up for two events each.

Aungles’ campaign started in the Men’s 100m Backstroke – S8, where he finished 3^rd in the heats and 6^th in the finals. But an incredible performance in the opening leg for the Mixed 4x100m Medley Relay -34 Points contributed to an unexpected result for Australia where the team secured a gold medal.

Jones made her Paralympic debut competing in the Women’s 100m Backstroke – S8, where she came 7^th. In her second event, the Women’s 400m Freestyle – S8, she came 2^nd in the heats and 6^th in the final.

Para-Table Tennis

In Sam von Einem’s opening match, an incredible 3-0 win against Japan’s Takeshi Takemoriplaced him in the semifinals against Tae Kim Gi. While von Einem kept hopes alive with an 11-8 win in game two, with increasing pressure in games three and four, the Korean was just too strong. This loss resulted in a bronze medal for von Einem, adding to the two silvers he earned in Rio and Tokyo. now

It was a tough campaign for Hayley Sands, who went down 3-0 in both doubles matches to France and Chile. Unfortunately, it was the same scoreline in her singles match against Poland.

Para-Triathlon

Hopes were high while Anu Francis held third during the cycling for the PTS2 Triathlon. But a strong closing stage from USA’s Allysa Seely pipped Francis for a podium result - an impressive performance for Francis at her first Games.

For Thomas Goodman, his Paralympic debut resulted in 9^th place in the Men’s PTS2 Triathlon.

Wheelchair Basketball

Samuel White returned for his second Paralympics with the Australian Rollers. While their group stage games didn’t go as planned with 3/3 losses, White played his best game of the campaign where the Rollers managed a 74-78 win over Spain in classification qualifying. With this record they competed in the 5-6 playoff game, defeating the Netherlands 75-82 to secure 5^th overall.