Sport: Athletics (Track and Road Racing)

Disability Classification: T54 (Have normal arms and hand function. Have a range of trunk function from some to normal. May have some leg function).

International Debut: 1990 - World Championships

Place of Birth / Residence: Perth, WA/Sydney, NSW

Interesting Facts:
Undisputed number one female road and track racer in the world, Louise has specialised in wheelchair road and track racing since 1990. Her Awards include - 1998 Paralympian of the Year, Young Australian of the Year (Australia Day Award in the sports category), 1997 Australian Paralympian of the Year, Cosmopolitan Magazine's 30 Most Successful Australian Women under 30 years, 1996 Australian Paralympian of the Year, 1994 Australian Paralympian of the Year, 1993 ABC Sports Star of the Year Award - National Junior Female Athlete of the Year, 1992 Order of Australia Medal. Official Sports/Tourism Ambassador for the Australian Tourist Commission, Western Australian Young Achiever Award, finalist, Confederation of Australian Sport, - Runner-up Female Athlete of the Year. At her first World Championships in 1990, she had won the 100m title. Days later, she competed at in the first wheelchair event ever to be held at the Commonwealth Games - winning the silver in the 800m.

Sports Career:
Louise is a triple Paralympian with nine gold and two silver medals, representing Australia at 3 Paralympic Games as well winning gold in the 800m demonstration events at the Atlanta and Sydney Olympic Games. Louise has represented Australia at the 1993, 1995, 1997, 2001 and 2003 IAAF World Athletic Championships winning gold in the 800m Wheelchair demonstration event each time. She currently holds individual world records in the 1500m and 5000m distances. She has recorded outstanding wins in some of the world's most prestigious road races including the Boston, Los Angeles, Berlin and Honolulu Marathons. At the Sydney 2000 Paralympics, she won gold in the 5000m and 1500m and silver in the 800m. At the 2002 IPC World Championships, her gold medal in the 800m was the fourth consecutive World Championships that she had won gold. (Sep ‘03)