Para physiotherapist to help drive the next generation of Paralympic success
In a significant milestone for Para sport in Queensland, the Queensland Academy of Sport (QAS) has welcomed its first dedica...
A contingent of 13 Queensland Academy of Sport (QAS) athletes and six QAS performance staff proudly represented Queensland as part of Team North at the inaugural Libby Kosmala Para Futures Cup in Canberra.
Team North, combining the QAS and Northern Territory Institute of Sport, came within a single point of claiming the inaugural title, finishing second on 1301 points behind Team West on 1302. Team East finished third with 1072 points, while Team South placed fourth on 955.
The four-day multi-sport competition at the Australian Institute of Sport brought together emerging Para athletes from across Australia, providing opportunities to compete, develop and experience sports outside their usual disciplines.
Across four days of competition, Team North athletes tested themselves across a range of sports while building connections with teammates and athletes from around the country.
The competition remained close until the final athletics program, with just one point ultimately separating Team North from Team West.
Final standings:
Team North’s impact extended beyond the scoreboard, sharing the peer-voted Win Well Cup with Team East. The award recognised the way athletes competed, supported their teammates and contributed throughout the event.
The Para Futures Cup was about more than the final standings. For many of the emerging athletes in Canberra, the event provided an opportunity to compete outside their usual sport, try new disciplines and spend time with other young athletes progressing through Australia’s Para sport system.
Supporting the Queensland contingent was Paralympian Brendan Hall, who joined the team as a mentor, sharing his experience with athletes as they took part in the inaugural competition.
By the final day, athletes who had arrived knowing little of one another were supporting each other across state lines, watching events and encouraging their fellow competitors.
The Cup formed part of the Para System Uplift, led by the Australian Sports Commission and Paralympics Australia in partnership with the National Institute Network, designed to strengthen Australia’s Para sport pathway.
For the Queensland contingent, a one-point margin at the top of the leaderboard and recognition through the Win Well Cup capped a valuable first edition of the competition, providing the next generation of Para athletes with another opportunity to compete, learn and develop within Australia’s high performance system.
