First QAS Para Unit athletes on solid path to 2032

Queensland’s para sport pathway is powering a road to 2032, with the inaugural cohort of athletes inducted into the Queensland Academy of Sport’s (QAS) newly established Para Unit.

Building a lasting legacy for Para sport in Australia, the first 20 athletes are a mix of emerging and established athletes, many identified through the statewide YouFor2032 athlete talent search.

Among this first cohort is aspiring Para track cyclist Kai Sakakibara and current Paralympians Hani Watson (Para powerlifting) and Milano-Cortina 2026 hopeful Georgia Gunew (Para alpine skiing).

Kai Sakakibara was pursuing his dream to compete in BMX Racing at the Olympics when in 2020, a serious crash during a World Cup race changed his life forever. He suffered a traumatic brain injury, spent two months in a coma and many more in rehab. But he found his way back to sport – first in para rowing and now back on two wheels as a para cyclist.

Para Unit Lead and two-time Paralympic gold medallist Blake Cochrane said: “This first group of athletes embodies the heart and future of Para sport in Queensland – a mix of proven champions and fresh talent ready to push boundaries.”

Key initiatives of the Para Unit include: Para Talent Program (a pre-elite pathway for 40 aspiring Para athletes), Gen2032 Para Coaching Program, Affiliate Program and Talent ID Network, and a revamped YouFor2032 Talent Search.