‘The Carnival Is Over…’ was sung by The Seekers as we celebrated a Games which changed disability sport
Published Thu 29 Oct 2020
29 October 2020
‘The Carnival Is Over…’ was sung by The Seekers as we celebrated a Games which changed disability sport
On the final day of the 2000 Paralympic Games 20th anniversary celebrations, we reflect on the amazing Games which is widely regarded to have changed the Paralympic Games forever and transformed people’s attitude to people with a disability.
This wrap up presents quotes from 2000 & 2020, statistics, and snippets of information.
THANK YOU BY LIESL TESCH
Sydney 2000 Paralympian Liesl Tesch had the opportunity in September 2020 to join a room of the key organisers of the #Sydney2000 including: Minister for the Games Michael Knight, SOCOG CEO Sandy Hollway, Executive Producer and Artistic Director of the ceremonies David Atkins and head of the Olympic Co-Ordination Authority David Richmond.
Liesl Tesch said the following:
“I am going to cry with gratitude to the people in this room who changed the lives of athletes with disability, and people with disability in this nation and the world, for the work and belief you put into this Games, you couldn’t have imagined.
“As an athlete you are on the other side of the space, but now I’m in the room with the people who put this together and to have the privilege to be here in person and say thank you. You have changed the world’s lives of people with disability from 2000. You made it an accessible city, you have given us a voice, you have given us dignity. Before they would say what’s wrong with that lady, now they ask what sport does she do? Thank you.”
STATISTICS
Crowd: More than 1.2 million people attended the Games (500,000 in Atlanta in 1996)
Events/medals: 3879 athletes competed across 18 sports, a record. 550 gold medals were awarded.
Countries: 123, a record.
World Records: 169 in the pool, 90 at the track and 11 at the velodrome.
Volunteers: 15,000
TV Ratings: Peaked at 54 for ABC
Athletics: 1044 athletes from 104 countries.
Medals: Australia 1st 63 G, 39 S, 47 B; in Athletics Australia 1st 35 G, 15 S, 16 B.
HEADLINES
Greatest carnival on earth is over (Daily Telegraph, 30 Oct 2000)
Friendlies Games dubbed `best ever' (Herald Sun, 30 Oct 2000)
Crowds deserve gold medal for support (Herald Sun, 30 Oct 2000)
Passionate farewell to `real Games' (Sydney Morning Herald, 31 Oct 2000)
QUOTES
International Paralympic Committee President, Dr Robert Steadward:
"I can only repeat the words of Mr Samaranch when I declare these were the best ever Paralympics."
``Thank you for enhancing the profile of our athletes more than any time in our history. You have completed a perfect festival of sport and friendship.”
Governor-General, Sir William Deane:
``These Games have brought the people of the world a little closer together and demonstrated that the things that unite mankind far outweigh the things that divide it.”
Acting Prime Minister, John Anderson:
"In total the Commonwealth government invested $44 million in the Paralympics. I can only say that I believe it was worth every cent of it"
Premier Bob Carr:
Australian Paralympic team - "The most successful sporting team in our history."
British Paralympic Association, Dr Bob Price:
"The Paralympics have well and truly come of age in Sydney.
Louise Sauvage (Paralympian):
“The support for athletes was enormous and I was so proud to be an Australian and to have the Paralympics in Australia to be so successful.”
"It didn't matter whether you had a disability or not, [the audience] just saw sport and they saw it perhaps in a little different light.”
“Sydney has set a very high benchmark. It's converted a whole lot of people to our sport and they will now follow sport for people with disabilities.”
“We were everywhere and not just us Aussies. I remember having international athletes coming up to me and saying, “we’re on the front and back page of the paper and we’re the first story on the news at night. That was just unheard of.”
BBC athletics commentator & Olympian, Paul Dickinson 2000:
"It has been unbelievable, simply unbelievable. I have never experienced anything quite like these Paralympics. You seem to spend your entire time fighting back the tears or rubbing your goosebumps. The standard - in every sport - has been truly remarkable and what can I say about the spectators? It has been a sheer joy to be allowed to share their enthusiasm."
Margie McDonald (communications director for the Sydney Paralympic Organising Committee) 2020:
“News organisations sent big reporting teams and ’gave us great respect’.”
"We had bona fide sports journalists and feature writers doing Paralympic sport."
Danni Di Toro (Para-table tennis athlete) 2000:
"You know, usually your mum and your dad and your dog comes to watch but for the first time ever, there was actually people watching and staying because what they were seeing was extraordinary talent on display. The whole country came together to celebrate everyone, celebrate diversity."
Paul Bird (Australian Paralympic team chef de mission) 2000:
“These Games have been a catalyst for social change. What it says to the average person is: there's light at the end of the tunnel. You can do more than what you ever think you can.”
Polish table-tennis player Natalia Partyka (age 11) 2000:
"This has been the most special night of my life. It is like everyone is a member of my family. I did not win a medal - though, I promise you, I will win a gold in Athens - but I have made a thousand new friends."
Kieran Ault-Connell (Australian Paralympian T&F):
"We can't thank Sydneysiders enough for putting their hearts and souls into supporting us. We've come up with the goods because of it."
Amy Winters (Australian Paralympian T&F):
“We athletes had concerns when SPOC announced they were charging for tickets to the Paralympics. We had fears that the empty seats we saw in Atlanta would happen again if people had to pay. But, to our delight, record numbers of spectators attended the Games and paid for the privilege. I remember being outside the stadium on Olympic Boulevard towards the end of the Games with my roomie, Katrina Webb and the sea of people that we saw in every direction that we turned. We just looked at each other incredulously and laughed saying that we couldn't believe this crowd was here for the Paralympics. We were so proud that Australia had got behind the Games and showed the world that the Paralympics matter and that they wanted to see us, support us and ultimately, watch a great sporting event.”
Heath Francis (Australian Paralympian, T&F) 2020:
"It was the most important Games for the Paralympic movement since the first Paralympic Games in 1960."
“The organisers had the incredible foresight to invite school children from across Australia to attend. As a result a whole generation of Australians stopped seeing disability as "what people couldn't do" to a massive mindshift change to seeing "what people with disability could do".
“I firmly believe that social changes in Australia like the NDIS being enacted were possible as a result of Australia hosting the Paralympics in Sydney in 2000. It definitely wasn't the only factor, but I think it played a big part!”
David Tarbotton for Athletics NSW
