Australia’s best ever result to then – but not what they came for

After finishing 6th (and last) at the demonstration event at the 1996 Paralympics and then 5th at the 1998 world championships, it seems that the Australian wheelchair rugby team should have been thrilled to win the silver medal at the 2000 Sydney Paralympics. However, the loss to perennial powerhouse, the USA, by one point was heartbreaking for the team, which had come into the tournament with the gold medal in mind.