Australia at the Seoul Summer Paralympics 1988
At a national level, the Seoul Paralympic Games were significant, as they represented a concerted effort to organise, fund and send a truly national Australian team. For the first time, a nation-wide appeal for both Summer and Winter Paralympics was organised, under the aegis of the Australian Confederation of Sports for the Disabled (ACSD). Barbara Worley, President of the ACSD, noted: “Never before has there been such a combined generosity as the nation having been shown that this was indeed an Australian team, not various groups acting independently…”. The success of the fund-raising efforts made it possible to send a team of 179 athletes and 47 support staff.
Performance:
Australia finished 10th on the medal table with a total of 96 medals, including 23 gold, 35 silver, and 38 bronze medals. Multiple gold medalists included Rodney Nugent (4), Libby Kosmala (3), Judith Young (2), Adrian Lowe (2), Russell Short (2), Greg Hammond (2), and Bruce Wallrodt (2). Amputee athletes were the most successful disability group, winning nine gold medals. Wheelchair athletes won seven gold, vision impaired athletes won four gold, and athletes with cerebral palsy won three gold medals. Australia’s most successful sport was track and field, with 14 gold, 19 silver and 20 bronze, totally 53 medals. Swimming followed with five gold, 12 silver and 14 bronze medals.
At a national level, the Seoul Paralympic Games were significant, as they represented a concerted effort to organise, fund and send a truly national Australian team.
Date: October 1988
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