Kevin Rudd (Griffith, Australian Labor Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Hansard source

Mr Speaker, on indulgence, last night the 2008 Paralympic Games in Beijing came to a close. Our Australian team, the largest we have ever sent to an away games, continued the tradition of doing Australia proud. Our team brought home 79 medals in total, including 23 gold medals. Those medals included inspirational victories like the men’s basketball team victory over Canada to clinch the gold medal. They included tremendous individual performances as well, like that of Kurt Fernley, winning gold in the wheelchair marathon, mirroring his feat four years ago in Athens; like that of Matthew Cowdrey with his extraordinary haul of eight medals and five world records in the pool; like that of Lisa McIntosh, who won gold in the sprint double, the 100 metres and the 200 metres; and like that of Tim Sullivan, who took Australia to victory in the four-by-100-metre relay on the track and won the 10th gold medal of his career, making him Australia’s most successful paralympian ever—what an extraordinary achievement.

Over the 11 days of competition, our team showed the determination and commitment that we have come to expect from our world-beating athletes. They proudly wore the green and gold, and we cheered them on from back here at home. Their performance in Beijing was absolutely outstanding. Their challenge now is to do the same in London—and it is only four years to go. After some well-deserved rest I am sure that the team will be back in training again with their sights set firmly on the next Paralympic Games.

Any sporting team that aims for world success also requires dedicated support from professional trainers and other support staff. The success of our Paralympic team is testament to the determination not only of the athletes and their families but also critically of the support staff who made it possible. It is also testament to the direct, personal and continuing support of individual family members. Australia’s paralympians have done the nation proud. On behalf of the government, and I am sure all members of the House, we offer them our heartfelt congratulations.

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