Timeline - Paralympics

1957

Frank Ponta talks about early basketball competitions against able-bodied players

1960

Gary hooper: how lucky I am to be here

Gary Hooper talks about ‘making it’ as a Paralympic athlete

"We'd sit on street corners and sell raffle tickets"

Bill Mather-Brown talks about the public awareness benefits of early fundraising activities

1960 Paralympian Kevin Coombes reflects on being the first Indigenous Paralympian.

Kevin Coombs discusses traveling to Rome

They carried us on and off aeroplanes

Listen to Bill Mather-Brown praising the hard work of the team support staff

Members of the first Australian Paralympic Team, in Rome in 1960, disembark from a plane at Rome airport at the end of their journey to the Games. The team contained a mixture of athletes with polio and those with spinal cord injuries. In general, those with paraplegia were lifted from the plane and those with polio used the steps. Team physiotherapist

Australian team athletes disembark from plane Rome Summer Paralympics

Going up ten stairs with a wheelchair

Gary Hooper chats about the unusual and barely accessible accommodation at the 1960 Rome Summer Paralympics

The Athletes' Village for the 1960 Paralympic Games in Rome consisted of apartments above the ground, with no lift access. Although ramps were installed over the stairs, most athletes required assistance to enter and leave the buildings as the ramps were so steep.

Athletes’ Village Rome Summer Paralympics

Paralympian Chris O’Brian on the best thing about being a Paralympian.

Chris O’Brien discuss best thing about being a Paralympian

1974

Medical examination of competitors is necessary to establish the classes in which they will compete. Sir Ludwig Guttman is doing the examinations here. He was the founder of the para sporting movement which had small beginnings in Stoke Mandeville near London in 1948 and has since spread throughout the world.

Sir Ludwig Guttman performing medical examinations on athletes

Getting the paras on and off aeroplanes is one of the more strenuous duties of the escorts. Fork lifts and elevating platforms can help, but with a large group, carrying up and down the steps seems to be the most efficient method.

Athletes boarding and alighting the plane

1976

Our stories

Forty-eight Australian athletes competed at the 1976 Paralympics, including amputee and vision impaired athletes for the first time.

Australia at the Toronto Summer Paralympics 1976

Watch Jago Mikulic literally run blind towards the finish line

GALLERY: Amputee technology in 1976

1980

Just one member of the amputee team was allowed to march in the opening ceremony

"As an Australian team, they were very fragmented"

Don Perriman tells of the teams within the team

GALLERY: Quadriplegia requires unique solutions for archer Trewhella

A special courage – jumping blind

1988

"It was really disability specific, which really didn't sit well with me."

But Australia again sent a team separated into disability sub-teams, as Chris Nunn explains

Be prepared – bring a spare leg

1996

Katrina Webb had a great story and a great Games

Peter Worsley shoots, Atlanta Paralympics

Having professional coaches was a big advantage for Australia

2000