Released 25/07/2017
It was a great pleasure to attend the 2017 GIO Summer Down Under Welcome Dinner last night, as athletes prepare for two big nights of wheelchair racing in Canberra.
The dinner included a panel discussion with Australian paralympic athletes Ryley Batt, Angie Ballard and Richard Nicholson, it was fascinating to hear of both the challenges and triumphs they have experienced in their chosen sports.
This dinner marked the start of the Summer Down Under racing series, the highest profile wheelchair sporting event in Australia. The series has grown from a single road race to two international competitions, including road and track events, and attracts the finest wheelchair athletes from around the world.
A highlight will be the Canberra International Track Meeting which comprises two nights of racing at the Australian Institute of Sport (AIS). This event brings together the world’s top wheelchair athletes to compete against their rivals and attempt to break world records.
I encourage Canberrans to get along and support our athletes as they compete tonight and tomorrow night at the AIS athletics track from 5:30pm. Entry is free.
More information on the Canberra events and the rest of the series can be found at http://wsnsw.org.au/sports/summer-down-under/.
The Summer Down Under series is run by Wheelchair Sports NSW – a not-for-profit organisation that provides a range of sporting programs, financial assistance, facilities, equipment and support staff to their members.
The ACT Government is committed to ensuring people with disabilities have the same opportunities to engage in activities and sports which they are interested in. To facilitate this, we support the Connect and Participate Expo (CAP Expo) each year which showcases the range of opportunities available for Canberrans of all abilities and ages to join groups and build social connections around common interests, including sport.
This year’s CAP Expo will be held onSaturday 25 March 2017 in the Old Bus Depot Markets at 21 Wentworth Avenue, Kingston.
For more information on the CAP Expo please visit the Community Services website.
- Statement ends -
Rachel Stephen-Smith, MLA | Media Releases