Timeline - Paralympics

1912

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Long before there were Paralympians, athletes with a disability competed, usually in able-bodied events. In 1912, Australian amputee athlete James Resleure almost made the US Olympic team.

Before even the first Games began, people competed

1914

Charles Olsen, ‘crack’ swimmer

1960

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Results of Australian swimmers at the summer Paralympics and IPC World Championships from 1960.

Swimming results for summer Paralympics and IPC World Championships from 1960

The venue for the swimming events at the 1960 Rome Paralympic GamesThe venue for the swimming events at the 1960 Rome Paralympic GamesThe venue for the swimming events at the 1960 Rome Paralympic GamesThe venue for the swimming events at the 1960 Rome Paralympic GamesThe venue for the swimming events at the 1960 Rome Paralympic GamesThe venue for the swimming events at the 1960 Rome Paralympic GamesThe venue for the swimming events at the 1960 Rome Paralympic GamesThe venue for the swimming events at the 1960 Rome Paralympic GamesThe venue for the swimming events at the 1960 Rome Paralympic Games

Swimming venue Rome Summer Paralympics

Gary Hooper: "Come on, you can do better than that."

Listen to Gary Hooper talk about the many events he participated in

"We couldn't race in Rome, they reckon it was too dangerous."

Bill Mather-Brown talks about the events he competed in during 1960 Rome Paralympics

1962

But Australia came to compete

Swimmers wait for their chance

1964

"Tony would cut up an old rubber tyre and tie it round their legs"

Elizabeth Edmondson on training in an able-bodied squad at 14

Scene at the swimming venue during a race during the 1964 Tokyo Paralympic Games.

Swimming venue Tokyo Paralympics

Daphne Ceeney (later Hilton) - left - who won the silver medal, congratulates 14 year old Elizabeth Edmondson, who won gold in a world record time in the 50m Freestyle Prone Complete Class 5 swimming event at the 1964 Tokyo Paralympic Games. Edmondson remained the youngest Australian Paralympic gold medallist until 2012. Australian Team official Kevin Betts pushes Daphne Ceeney and 'Johnno' Johnston pushes Elizabeth Edmondson.

Ceeney and Edmondson handshake Tokyo Paralympics

3 gold medals; 3 world records; 14 years old in Tokyo

"Just get in there, do your job, and go home again"

Listen to Elizabeth Edmondson’s experience of the 1964 Tokyo Games

A telegram from the 1964 Australian Paralympic Team head of delegation, George Bedbrook, to the family os swimmer Elizabeth Edmondson, informing them of her success at the Games and plans for the return trip to Australia. Edmondson and Bedbrook were both from Western Australia. At 14, Edmondson was the youngest Australian Paralympic gold medallist until 2012. Telegram provided by Elizabeth Edmondson from her personal scrapbook.

A telegram from Dr Bedbrook

1966

Testing the waters at the new Carina pool

1968

Jeff Simmonds receives a Paralympic silver medal in Tel Aviv

And a Certificate of Achievement

1970

Medals in five sports and other personal Edinburgh highlights

Hear Libby Kosmala talk about her experiences at the 1970 Commonwealth Paralympic Games

"I got to know a lot of disabled people from around Australian very well"

Libby Kosmala discusses her successes and social life at Edinburgh 1970

1972

The 1972 Paralympic swimming venue – a lot like your local aquatic centre

Eric Boulter won Australia’s only swimming gold medal

Pauline English was Australia’s youngest in Heidelberg

Pauline English with one of her three bronze medals

1974

Russel Morrison, a class 4 spina bifida from SA in the backstroke, in which he broke the commonwealth record.

Russell Morrison breaks Backstroke record, Dunedin Commonwealth Paraplegic Games

Here is Russel Morrison surging up the pool in his 50m freestyle which he won in record time. Well done congratulations from coach Kirkbride.

Russell Morrison wins 50m freestyle, Dunedin Commonwealth Paraplegic Games

Pauline English, also still a high school student has a good win in the 50m freestyle class 4. She also had a fine win in the 150m individual medley.

Pauline English, Swimming, Dunedin Commonwealth Paraplegic Games

Australian at the swimming event

1976

Pauline English came from behind to snatch bronze in the medley

1980

Carolyn Connors guided to the start of the 100m freestyle

1984

The first part of the 1984 Games was in New York

Move over Elizabeth, as young Anne makes a splash

Skateboards and Paralympic medals at the pool

Wayne Ryding was one of just two Aussie gold medalists in the Stoke Mandeville pool

1988

At the pool, a future swimming hall of famer waits to be announced

While the race is on – towels, tracksuits, crutches and legs await

Greg Hammond won two of Australia’s five swimming gold medals

Legs in the basket and game faces on

The frenzy of a 4x50m freestyle relay

1990

Our stories

Australian team and results at the World Championships for the Disabled, 15 – 23 July 1990, Assen, Netherlands.

Swimming World Championships and Games for Disabled 1990

1992

And then Modra heads to the pool

Jason Diederich flew for silver

Swimming introduced a functional classification system in Barcelona

Tracy Barrell won two gold medals in the pool

Tracey Cross gets a hand from a volunteer

Kelly Barnes and Michelle Bate had their battle faces on

Judith Young leaves the blocks

Anne Currie won three gold medals

Priya Cooper, about to make a splash at her first Games

Mandy Maywood goes high off the blocks for another medal

The pool was where Australia was at its winningest

And one man stood above the rest

Twenty medals between them – our greatest medal winners

The men dominated the swimming relays

The women chimed in with two relay medals

1994

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Australian team and results at the 1994 IPC Swimming World Championships, 1-9 November, Valetta, Malta.

Swimming World Championships 1994

1996

There was plenty to celebrate at the pool as well

Priya Cooper was again the star of the swimming team

Cameron de Burgh steadies on the blocks

Scott Brockenshire leaves the blocks

It was time to get serious when Brendan Burkett got a head shave

Melissa Carlton waits to be called onto the blocks for a race

Kingsley Bugarin stands at the top of the podium again in Atlanta

1998

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Australian team and results at the 1998 IPC World Swimming Championships, Christchurch, New Zealand, 7-17 October 1998.

Swimming World Championships 1998

2000

Amanda Fraser’s first Games was as a swimmer

David Rolfe in action during the Swimming at the Sydney Summer Paralympics.

His first Games, but David Rolfe was the ‘old man’ of the swim team

Kate Bailey competing in the Swimming at the Sydney Summer Paralympics.

Reflections of Kate Bailey

Kingsley Burgarin competes in Swimming at the Sydney Summer Paralympics

Kingsley Bugarin dominated the men’s SB12 breaststoke event

Karni Liddell and Cameron de Burgh made waves in another pool

Priya Cooper competing in the Swimming at the Sydney Summer Paralympics.

Despite injury, Priya Cooper still owned the S8 400m freestyle

Siobhan Paton celebrates after her Swimming event at the Sydney Summer Paralympics.

Siobhan Paton celebrates victory from her favourite lane

Siobhan Paton was Australia’s star in the pool

2002

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Australian team and results at the IPC Swimming World Championships, Mar de Plata, Argentina, 3-12 December 2002.

Swimming World Championships 2002

2004

Gold for the minute man, Ben Austin

The swim team was full of fresh-faced talent

Would Chantel be the ‘new Priya’?

There was no doubt – the biggest rising star was Matt Cowdrey

2006

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Australian team and results at the 2006 IPC Swimming World Championships, Durban, South Africa, 2-8 December 2006.

Swimming World Championships 2006

2008

Key sports had their own team announcements for the Beijing Games

The medallists in the men's S9 100m butterfly at the Beijing 2008 Paralympic Games. Left to right: Silver medallist Matthew Cowdrey from Australia, gold medallist Tamas Sors from Hungary and bronze medallist Zhi Guo from China. Sors set a new world record in winning the event, lowering the record he set in the morning's heats.

Matthew Cowdrey, Medal Ceremony Beijing Summer Paralympics

Women’s S9 100m butterfly medallists

Cole and Williams embrace

Peter Leek 100m butterfly gold

2010

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Australian team and results at the 2010 IPC Swimming World Championships, Eindhoven, Netherlands, 14-21 August 2010.

Swimming World Championships 2010

2013

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Australian team and results at the 2013 IPC Swimming World Championships, Montreal, Canada, 12-18 August 2013.

Swimming World Championships 2013

2015

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Australian team and results at the 2015 IPC Swimming World Championships, Glasgow, Scotland, 13-19 July 2015.

Swimming World Championships 2015

2017

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2017 World Para Swimming Championships, Mexico City, Mexico, 2-7 December 2017.

Swimming World Championships 2017

2019

Our stories

Australian team and results at the 2019 World Para Swimming Championships, London, 9 – 15 September.