The Tasmanian Institute of Sport is setting itself bold targets of future Paralympic representation after establishing its own Para Unit, as part of the Para Uplift. The Para Uplift was born from the Win Well Strategy, which is a united commitment from 62 sports and sporting organisations to prioritise wellbeing in order to create a culture of sustainable success in the leadup to Brisbane 2032 and beyond.
An investment of $54.9 million over the next two years will see para-sport funding double in the lead-up to Paralympic Games in Los Angeles in 2028 and Brisbane four years later.
The Tasmanian Para Unit, which launched on September 30th and its newly installed Para Unit Lead, Dr Kirstie Turner, will oversee the finding, supporting and developing of those potentially eligible for para sport.
With an average of two Tasmanians at each of the last five Paralympic Games and a best of four in Rio de Janeiro, Turner said: “I would like to double that in LA, so I would like to see eight Tasmanians selected for the 2028 Paralympic Games and being really optimistic, do we double it again for 2032? I think so.”
“I would like LA to be our most successful Paralympics for Tasmanian athletes making the team and beat that again at Brisbane.”
Turner said her job is to build a better foundation into the para-sport pathway which includes identifying those who may be eligible.
“I’m really passionate about para-sport, I’m really passionate about high performance sport and I’ve recently finished my PhD in talent development and biomechanics, so this is all of those things married together,” she added. “It’s a too-good-to-lose opportunity.”
With a view towards the Brisbane Games, the Australian Government has launched Para Uplift in partnership with Paralympics Australia. This initiative is part of the broader commitment outlined in Australia’s High Performance 2032+ Strategy, which aims to reduce barriers for para-athletes across the country.
It will target challenges facing para-sport including access to facilities, talent identification, funding inequity with able-bodied sport and a lack of awareness and promotion.
The expanded TIS Para Unit will increase the support provided across Tasmania. The existing Junior Talent Program will become a Youth Talent Program and Senior Talent program, while the Para Academy will allow more access to high-level training and development opportunities.
Beginning her role on April 23rd, Turner is the first full-time lead of a para-specific program in Tasmania offering tailored support to meet the specific needs of each athlete to support their transition into and through high-performance sport.
“This is about setting up a system that will facilitate ongoing and future success,” she said.
“After the Australian Institute of Sport was set up, other countries started to replicate what Australia was doing and eventually started doing some things a bit better.”
“By setting this up three or four years ahead of LA means there is time for emerging athletes to be able to qualify and get that Paralympic exposure so that they can really lock in and see success in 2032.”
Northern Ireland-born Turner moved to Australia in 2020. After completing an honours degree looking at training intensity distribution with the University of Canberra and Rowing Australia, she moved to Sydney to begin a PhD with Deakin University and Australian Athletics.
The 29-year-old was inspired by working closely with multiple Paralympic gold medal-winning wheelchair racers Louise Sauvage and Madison de Rozario at the NSW Institute of Sport.
“Being in that space on a day-to-day basis for four years I started to realise there are so many opportunities to do something meaningful,” she said.
“I’m really passionate about supporting that environment to give people an opportunity that they maybe weren’t getting before. I thought I could bring that knowledge to Tasmania and make a meaningful difference through opportunities for people with disabilities or impairments.”
“This is more than just about high performance; it’s about facilitating more sport for more people across Tasmania.”
Turner said raising awareness and tackling Tasmania’s unique population distribution will be key parts of her role.
“A lot of people see someone like (two-time Paris Paralympic swimming champion) Alexa Leary and think ‘she’s amazing but how is she eligible for para-sport?’ I’ve had people tell me they did not realise they were eligible for para-sport until they saw her and realised that there is a pathway.”
“So, my role is to bring more awareness because Paralympic sport comes in all different shapes and sizes and age groups. It spans so much. Para-sport doesn’t fit into a neat little box, it’s a bit of a grey space and there is a lot of opportunity for people who don’t necessarily know it.”
Although Turner will be based in Hobart, she stressed that the unit is not. Sport sampling sessions will alternate between Hobart and Launceston with additional sessions in the North-West.
“The distribution of population in Tasmania is a big challenge in terms of being able to give all opportunities. In bigger states there may be a central hub and there is an expectation that if people want to take it seriously, they have to go there.”
“I don’t think that’s the case in Tasmania, so the challenge is being able to create environments where people from the North-West, North and South all have the opportunity to experience and excel in para-sport. It’s important that is not another barrier because para-sport has enough barriers, I don’t want to add another.”
Since the last home Paralympic Games in 2000, Tasmania has had six Paralympians in Dominic Monypenny (2008), Matt Bugg (2012 and ’16), Todd Hodgetts (2012, ’16 and ’20), Deon Kenzie (2016 and ’20), Jacob Templeton (2016) and Alexandra Viney (2020, ‘24).
Turner said it is important that some are involved in the Para Unit launch.
“I think that is so important to help inspire people in Tasmania.”
“We want to acknowledge that there have been some very successful Paralympians coming from Tasmania and I want to be able to utilise their experience to show future Paralympians that it has been done before and here are the examples.”
Written by Rob Shaw