Six NSW athletes Tokyo bound for Paralympics

23 July 2021

Six NSW athletes Tokyo bound for Paralympics

Six very experienced NSW athletes were today named as members of the 24-strong Australia team for the Tokyo Paralympic Games. Between them they have previously attended 13 Paralympic Games.

25 years-ago teenager Christie Dawes made her Paralympic debut in Atlanta. Tokyo will be her seventh Games, a staggering achievement. Initially a sprinter in the 100m and 200m, at the Tokyo Games, she will battle the heat on the roads in the marathon.

Based in Canada, Sydney’s Guy Henly makes his sixth consecutive global meet appearance for Australia in the discus. Henly debuted in 2013 at the World Champs and following appearances in 2015, 2017 and 2019. He also competed at the Rio Paralympics. With an outstanding championship record, Henly has finished on the podium at every world championships, while at the Rio Olympics, he was fourth.

Commonwealth Games gold medallists, Evan O’Hanlon, who has been based in Europe in recent years, makes his fourth Paralympic Games team. After winning gold in 2008 and 2012, he won silver in 2016 in the T38 100m.

Tokyo will be the third Paralympic appearance for Hills athlete Rosemary Little. A track athlete in London and Rio, Rosemary has dabbled in rowing, but in Tokyo will move to a field event, the shot put.

Sutherland 23-year-old Sarah Walsh, is selected for her fifth consecutive global meet, after appearances at the 2015, 2017 and 2019 World Championships and Rio Paralympics. The T64 long jumper, won bronze at her last appearance on the world stage at the Dubai world championships. Based in Canberra under coach Matt Beckenham, Walsh has been making significant progress in the last two years.

Another 23-year-old, Luke Bailey makes his Paralympic debut in Tokyo. The Central Coast athlete, who trains with Newcastle’s Andrew Dawes, made his international debut in 2019 at the Dubai World Championships. Bailey will compete in the T54 100m.

NSW members of the national team:

Christie Dawes – T54 marathon (Andrew Dawes)

Evan O’Hanlon – T38 100m (Iryna Dvoskina)

Guy Henly – F37 Discus (Kim Cousins)

Luke Bailey – T54 100m (Andrew Dawes)

Rosemary Little – F32 Shot (Karyne Di Marco, Breanne Clement)

Sarah Walsh – T64 Long Jump (Matt Beckenham)

We also recognise a number of other selected athletes who have associations with NSW: Angie Ballard, James Turner, Alissa Jordaan - formerly registered and residents of NSW; Sydney-based WA athlete Madi de Rozario; Eliza Ault-Connell - Albury-based athlete and formerly registered in NSW and Wagga Wagga-born, Canberra-based Scott Reardon.

David Tarbotton for Athletics NSW

Image: Sarah Walsh (courtesy of David Tarbotton)