Australia has produced numerous talented athletes in the Paralympics. Here are just a few of the athletes to have delivered gold medal moments, inspired a nation, and shattered world records. Check them out.
First male athlete to win a “Golden Slam” in wheelchair tennis (2021); Australian of the Year 2022.
Dylan Alcott is one of the most famous Australian Paralympians and one of Australia's top athletes. Although he began his career in wheelchair basketball, helping the Australian men's team win a gold medal at the 2008 Beijing Games, he later transitioned to wheelchair tennis. Since the switch, he has won gold in quad singles and silver in doubles at the Tokyo Paralympics, bringing his total Paralympic medal count to six.
The significant difference with wheelchair tennis is the "two-bounce" rule. Everything else remains mostly unchanged. | Photo by Samuel-Elias Nadler
Louise Sauvage
Louise Sauvage
Full Name:
Alix Louise Sauvage OAM
Sport:
Wheelchair Racing (Track & Marathon)
Paralympic Games Participated:
Barcelona 1992, Atlanta 1996, Sydney 2000, Athens 2004
Total Paralympic Medals:
13
Gold / Silver / Bronze Breakdown:
9 Gold, 4 Silver
Notable Event(s):
100 m, 400 m, 800 m, 1,500 m, 5,000 m races & marathons
Years Active in Paralympics:
1992–2004
Paralympic Highlights:
One of Australia’s most iconic female Paralympians lit the cauldron at Sydney 2000 and held multiple world records.
Louise Savage dominated wheelchair racing throughout the 1990s and early 2000s. Across four Paralympic Games appearances, she won nine gold medals and set world records. She lit the cauldron at the Sydney 2000 Paralympic Games and was the face of the Paralympic Games in Australia.
Matt Cowdrey
Matt Cowdrey
Full Name:
Matthew John Cowdrey OAM
Sport:
Swimming (S9, SB8, SM9 classifications)
Paralympic Games Participated:
Athens 2004, Beijing 2008, London 2012
Total Paralympic Medals:
23
Gold / Silver / Bronze Breakdown:
13 Gold, 7 Silver, 3 Bronze
Notable Event(s):
50 m/100 m Freestyle, 200 m Individual Medley, 100 m Backstroke, Relay
Years Active in Paralympics:
2004–2012
Paralympic Highlights:
Became Australia’s most decorated Paralympian at 23 with 23 medals across three Games.
Australia's top Olympians and Paralympians seem to love swimming, and Matt Cowdrey is no exception. The swimmer made his debut at the Athens 2004 Paralympics, aged 15, where he won three gold, two silver, and two bronze medals, and was awarded the Medal of the Order of Australia upon his return. At the 2008 Beijing Paralympics, he won five gold medals and three silver medals. He was the flag bearer for the closing ceremony. He became Australia's most successful Paralympian after winning eight more medals (five gold, two silver, and a bronze) at the London 2012 Games.
beenhere
The Most Medals by a Single Aussie Paralympian
Matt Cowdrey leads the all-time list for Australia with 23 Paralympic medals.
Jacqueline Freney
Jacqueline Freney
Full Name:
Jacqueline Rose Freney OAM
Sport:
Swimming (S7 classification)
Paralympic Games Participated:
Beijing 2008, London 2012
Total Paralympic Medals:
11
Gold / Silver / Bronze Breakdown:
8 Gold, 0 Silver, 3 Bronze
Notable Event(s):
100 m Backstroke, 50 m Butterfly, 100 m/400 m Freestyle, 200 m Individual Medley, Relays
Years Active in Paralympics:
2008–2012
Paralympic Highlights:
Most successful Australian Paralympian at one Games (London 2012); 2012 Australian Paralympian of the Year.
Jacqueline "Jacqui" Freney won eight gold medals at the London 2012 Paralympic Games, more than any single athlete at a Paralympic Games, adding to her three bronze medals from Beijing 2008. In 2012, she was named Young Australian of the Year.
Madison de Rozario
Madison de Rozario
Full Name:
Madison de Rozario AM
Sport:
Wheelchair Racing (T53–T54 categories)
Paralympic Games Participated:
Beijing 2008, London 2012, Rio 2016, Tokyo 2020, Paris 2024
Total Paralympic Medals:
5
Gold / Silver / Bronze Breakdown:
2 Gold, 2 Silver, 1 Bronze
Notable Event(s):
T54 Marathon, 800 m, 1,500 m races
Years Active in Paralympics:
2008–2024
Paralympic Highlights:
First Australian woman to win wheelchair marathon gold (Rio 2016); flag-bearer at Paris 2024 Opening Ceremony.
One of the most revered female Australian Paralympians, Madison de Rozario, debuted at just 15 during the Beijing 2008 games. She won the bronze medal in the 5,000m T54 race at these games before making history at the Rio 2016 Games, becoming the first Australian woman to win a gold medal in the wheelchair marathon. She won another marathon medal at the Tokyo 2020 Paralympics and a relay silver, and was the flag-bearer at the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games.
Whether it's wheelchair marathons, wheelchair basketball, or wheelchair rugby, Australia's Paralympians are smashing it! | Photo by Audi Nissen
Gold in 800 m T36 (Rio); gold and silver in 400 m & 100 m (Tokyo); double gold in 100 m and 400 m in Paris, including a world record.
James Turner was born with cerebral palsy. He would go on to become one of Australia's best Paralympic athletes, winning his first gold in the 800m T36 in Rio 2016 and a Medal of the Order of Australia. At the Tokyo 2020 Paralympics, he won gold in the 400m and silver in the 100m. He won two more golds in Paris 2024.
Enjoy Australia's best moments from the last Paralympic Games.
Paris was good to Australia in the Paralympics.
Amanda Reid
Amanda Reid
Full Name:
Amanda Reid (née Fowler)
Sport:
Para-Cycling (C1–C3), formerly Para-Swimming and Snowboarding
Paralympic Games Participated:
London 2012, Rio 2016, Tokyo 2020, Paris 2024
Total Paralympic Medals:
3
Gold / Silver / Bronze Breakdown:
2 Gold, 1 Silver, 0 Bronze
Notable Event(s):
500 m Time Trial C1–3
Years Active in Paralympics:
2012–2024
Paralympic Highlights:
First Paralympic medal in swimming (2012); silver in cycling at Rio; back-to-back golds in Tokyo and Paris; first Indigenous Australian Paralympic cycling gold medallist.
The swimmer-turned-cyclist Amanda Reid made her debut at the London 2012 Games in swimming before switching to cycling, where she won a silver medal in the 500m time trial C1-3 at the Rio 2016 Games. At the Tokyo 2020 Paralympics, she won gold with a world-record time in the same event. At the Paris 2024 Paralympics, she successfully defended her title. A proud Indigenous Australian Paralympian (Wemba Wemba and Guringai heritage), she's also committed to advocacy, community engagement, and history-making.
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Australia’s First Indigenous Paralympic Cyclist
Amanda Reid became the first Indigenous Australian to win Paralympic gold in cycling, with back-to-back titles in 2020 and 2024.
Col Pearse
Col Pearse
Full Name:
Col Pearse
Sport:
Para-Swimming (S10, SB9, SM10 classifications)
Paralympic Games Participated:
Tokyo 2020, Paris 2024
Total Paralympic Medals:
2
Gold / Silver / Bronze Breakdown:
0 Gold, 1 Silver, 1 Bronze
Notable Event(s):
100 m Butterfly S10, 200 m Individual Medley SM10
Years Active in Paralympics:
2020–2024
Paralympic Highlights:
Bronze in Tokyo 2020 100 m Butterfly; silver in Paris 2024 200 m Medley.
One of the brightest, young Australian Paralympians, Col Pearse made his debut at Tokyo 2020 aged 17, where he won bronze in the men's 100m Butterfly S10. At the Paris 2024 Paralympics, he secured silver in the men's 200m Individual Medley SM10. Though not a household name like some of Australia's top cricketers, he's young and has even more time to win more medals!
Ryley Batt
Ryley Batt
Full Name:
Ryley Douglas Batt
Sport:
Wheelchair Rugby
Paralympic Games Participated:
Athens 2004, Beijing 2008, London 2012, Rio 2016, Tokyo 2020, Paris 2024
Total Paralympic Medals:
4
Gold / Silver / Bronze Breakdown:
2 Gold, 1 Silver, 1 Bronze
Notable Event(s):
Mixed Wheelchair Rugby tournament
Years Active in Paralympics:
2004–2024
Paralympic Highlights:
Youngest ever Paralympic wheelchair rugby player at 15; led Australia to back-to-back gold (2012, 2016); key bronze in debut at Paris 2024.
From his debut at the age of 15 in the 2004 Paralympics in Athens, Ryley Batt is the youngest wheelchair rugby player to have competed at a Paralympics. A silver in Beijing in 2008 and then back-to-back golds in London 2012 and Rio 2016. Fourth-place in Tokyo was followed by a bronze medal in Paris 2024.
Wheelchair rugby is tough, so much so that it's called "muderball". | Photo by chris robert
Keira Stephens
Keira Stephens
Full Name:
Keira Kristina Stephens OAM
Sport:
Para-Swimming (S10, SB9, SM10 classifications)
Paralympic Games Participated:
Tokyo 2020, Paris 2024
Total Paralympic Medals:
3
Gold / Silver / Bronze Breakdown:
1 Gold, 0 Silver, 2 Bronze
Notable Event(s):
100 m Breaststroke SB9, Mixed 4×100 m Medley Relay (34 pts)
Years Active in Paralympics:
2020–2024
Paralympic Highlights:
Bronze in Tokyo, gold as part of the relay team in Paris 2024; recent recipient of OAM for Paralympic success.
One of the most exciting female Australian Paralympians, Keria Stephens, made her debut at the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games at the age of 17. She won two bronze medals in Japan. At the Paris 2024 Paralympics, she won her first gold medal.
The Paralympians in this article have won a combined
178 medals
including 66 golds!
Alex Saffy
Alex Saffy
Full Name:
Alexander “Alex” Saffy
Sport:
Para-Swimming (S10, SB9, SM10)
Paralympic Games Participated:
Paris 2024
Total Paralympic Medals:
1
Gold / Silver / Bronze Breakdown:
0 Gold, 0 Silver, 1 Bronze
Notable Event(s):
100 m Butterfly S10
Years Active in Paralympics:
2024
Paralympic Highlights:
Bronze in the men’s 100 m butterfly at debut Paralympics, setting an Oceania record.
Alex Saffy made his debut at Paris 2024 aged 18, winning bronze and breaking the Oceania record in the S10 100m Butterfly. A determined Paralympian full of resilience, passion, and precision, just like Minjee Lee, one of Australia's top golfers and an Olympic medallist!
Across the Olympics and Paralympics, Australia excels. | Photo by Thomas Park
First Warlpiri and 16th Indigenous Australian Paralympian; set Australian & Oceania 400 m T20 record in heats; finalist in debut.
Telaya Blacksmith is a Warlpiri woman from Lajmanu. She became Australia's 16th Indigenous Paralympian at the Paris 2024 Games, where she competed in the 400m T20 and Long Jump T20 events, breaking the Australian and Oceania 400m T20 records in her heat.
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Joseph
Joseph is a French and Spanish to English translator, copywriter, and all-round language enthusiast.
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