WA's Paralympic Games History

Rome 1960
Roger Cockerill
Kevin Cunningham
Sally Lamb
Bill Mather-Brown
Chris O'Brien
Frank Ponta
John Turich
John Johnston (Team Manager)

400 athletes from 23 countries competed in the Olympic sports of Archery, Basketball, Fencing, Javelin, Shotput, and Swimming in addition to new events for the Paralympics of Dartchery, Precision Javelin and the Indian Club Throw. (These events have since been replaced by more competitive events.) 

Tokyo 1964
Lionel Cousens
Elizabeth Edmondson
Bill Mather-Brown
Marion O'Brien
Frank Ponta
Sir George Bedbrook (Team Leader)
John Johnston (Team Manager)

370 athletes from 22 nations gathered in the Yoyogi Olympic Village for the five day, 15 - event Paralympics. The New events of 60 metre dash, 240 metre shuttle relay, wheelchair slalom, weightlifting and discus throw were added to the programme. 

Tel Aviv 1968
John Beattie
Peter Burt
Kevin Cunningham
Lorraine Dodd
Elizabeth Edmondson
Bill Mather-Brown
Marion O'Brien
Frank Ponta
John Johnston (Team Manager)
Sir George Bedbrook (SMGF Delegate)

After Mexico City experienced organisational difficulties, the Games were moved to Tel Aviv where 750 competitors from 29 countries competed. The United States again proved to be the dominant nation winning the most Gold as it had in the previous two Paralympics. 

Heidelberg 1972
John Dwyer
Frank Ponta
Cliff Rickard
Victor Salvemini
Nadine Mather-Brown (Team Nurse)

1,000 athletes made up of 273 women competed in these Games remembered for their large and ebullient crowds. Blind German athletes participated in several events setting the stage for their later inclusion in separate competitions, of athletes with other disabilities.

Toronto 1976
Harry Moseby
Frank Ponta
Victor Salvemini
Les Mathews (Team Escort)

Called the Torontolympiad, the Vth Paralympic Games accelerated the movement by the official recognition of blind and amputee athletes who participated in a number of events. Nearly 1560 athletes competed and for the first time, wheelchair races were held on an oval track in the 200, 400, 800, and 1500 metre events. The Games were acclaimed an unqualified success.

Arnhem 1980
Peter Butt
Robert Augustin
Len Ettridge

 The Americans led boycott of the Moscow Olympics precluded the Paralympics being held in the Soviet Union but Arnhem proved to be a superb choice. Nearly 2000 athletes from 42 countries took part in two weeks of competitions with performances showing incredible improvements from previous Games.

New York/Stoke Mandeville 1984
John Federico
Mark Pope
Mandy Rose
Norma Beer (Team Nurse)
Doug Thompson (Team Escort)

 The 1984 Paralympics were divided with the Wheelchair Games held in Stoke Mandeville and the other Federations competing at Nassau County, Long Island, New York. The schism created actually increased the credibility of the Paralympics because IOC President Juan Samaranch decreed that both Games be held under the patronage of the IOC. The combined sites attracted 3000 athletes in all classes from 45 countries with the new class Les Autres (the others) formed. The marathon was also introduced for wheelchair racers.

Seoul 1988
John Federico
John Hunt
Craig Parsons
Bruce Wallrodt
Norma Beer (Team Nurse)

For the first time, Paralympians gained access to all other major Olympic facilities and competed in the same venues used by their Olympic counterparts. The Opening and Closing Ceremonies were almost identical to the Olympic' s and attended by a sellout crowd of 7000 in the Olympic stadium. Nearly 4000 athletes from 62 countries competed. The USA entered the largest team of 376 athletes.

Barcelona 1992
David Bonavita
Priya Cooper
Mandy Rose
Louise Sauvage
Bruce Wallrodt
Norma Beer (Team Nurse)

A total of 15 sports, 13 of which were Olympic events provided the avenue for innovation in Barcelona was to allow athletes with different disabilities to participate in the same events hence elevating competitive standards and promoting greater interest from spectators. The Barcelona Paralympics hosted over 1.386 million spectators with sell out crowds at 46 events.

Atlanta 1996
Priya Cooper (Team Captain)
Ben Cox
Paul Nunnari
Mandy Rose
Louise Sauvage
Bruce Wallrodt
Norma Beer (Team Nurse)

The Xth Paralympic Games were held in Atlanta, the home of Coca Cola and the birthplace of Martin Luther King. More than 3,500 athletes from 120 countries competed in more than 17 sporting events. The Australia contingency of 162 athletes broke 18 world records in athletics and swimming and came home with 42 Gold, 37 Silver, and 27 Bronze Medals and finished second in the overall medal count. 

Sydney 2000
Paul Barnett
Priya Cooper
Justin Eveson
Lynda Holt
Jeff Lane
Brad Ness
Paul Nunnari
Craig Parsons
Louise Sauvage
Bruce Wallrodt
Stacey Williams
David Bonavita(Staff)
Hayden Clark (Staff)

The Sydney Paralympic Games was the second largest sporting event ever held in Australia. The Paralympics brought together nearly 4000 of the world's elite disabled athletes from 122 countries, making them the largest in Paralympic history. Over 1.1 million tickets were sold, with athletes regularly competing in front of packed stadiums. The Australian contingent of 278 athletes topped the medal table for the first time with an amazing 63 Gold, 39 Silver and 47 Bronze medals.

Athens 2004
Justin Eveson
Brad Ness
Shaun Norris
Grant Boxall
Brad Dubberley
Paul Nunnari
Louise Sauvage
Bruce Wallrodt
Mark Leflohic
Claire Mclean
Stacey Williams
Katrina Porter
Dianne Saunders

Murray Treseder (staff)            
Craig Friday (staff)
Kelvin Browner (staff)
Kim Ellwood (staff)
Gary Lees (staff)
Andrew Budge (staff)
Luke Vladich (staff)

The Athens Paralympic Games was an exciting event, the biggest yet with nearly 4000 competitors breaking the Sydney competitor numbers record by 129 athletes.  Nearly 800,000 tickets were sold and a record 136 nations competing. The Australian contingent of 144 athletes finished competition at the Athens Paralympics with a total of 100 medals – the second best overall effort of the 136 participating nations. Australia notched 26 gold, 38 silver and 36 bronze medals.