PARALYMPIC GAMES

Mrs GERAGHTY (Torrens) (14:36): My question is to the Minister for Recreation and Sport. Can the minister inform the house about the performance of South Australian athletes at the 2012 London Paralympic Games?

The Hon. T.R. KENYON (Newland—Minister for Employment, Higher Education and Skills, Minister for Science and Information Economy, Minister for Recreation and Sport) (14:37): I thank the member for Torrens for her question. It gives me great pleasure to acknowledge the outstanding efforts of our South Australian athletes at the 2012 London Paralympic Games. The world has just witnessed possibly the most successful ever Paralympic Games in London, and they are to be congratulated on that. I think they were just about sold out.

This success is not only in terms of athlete performances but also the enhanced profile and exposure of the games themselves and the inspirational stories of triumph and achievement by the athletes. The media exposure and public awareness-raising, notably here in Australia, and certainly in Great Britain, has provided great impetus and support for people with a disability, as well as increased understanding and respect from the broader community. It really was a privilege to witness this transformation of the Paralympic Games into one of the largest sporting events in the world.

Out of a total of 161 athletes in the Australian Paralympic team, South Australia had 14 representatives across six sports. Australia placed equal fourth with Ukraine on the gold medal count, with 32 gold, and we were fifth on the overall medal tally, with a total of 85 medals won: including the 32 gold, there were 23 silver and 30 bronze medals. South Australian athletes contributed 11 of those medals to the tally—seven gold, two silver and two bronze—and they were achieved across 11 events.

South Australia's most successful competitor at the London Paralympics was the phenomenal Matthew Cowdrey, winning a total of eight medals—five gold, two silver and one bronze. Matthew's performances in London also saw him become Australia's greatest-ever Paralympian, surpassing Tim Sullivan's 10 athletics gold medals. By the end of the competition, he had extended this lead by winning his 13^th gold medal out of 23 career Paralympic medals (more than 50 per cent of the medals he wins are gold).

Matthew made further Paralympic history during his 200-metre individual medley triumph, becoming the first Australian athlete to win the same event at three consecutive Paralympic Games (Athens, Beijing and London), and he also broke the world record in the men's 50-metre freestyle, set a Paralympic record in the men's 4 x 100 metre freestyle relay and an Oceania record in the men's 100-metre breast stroke.

As at the Olympics, the velodrome was once again a venue to witness South Australian success, with Kieran Modra winning a gold medal and setting a world record in the men's tandem individual pursuit with pilot Scott McPhee. London was Kieran's seventh games, having competed in three different sports (athletics, swimming and cycling) during his Paralympic career. However, to make the London Paralympic Games, let alone win gold, is an amazing achievement, having come back from a severe accident late in 2011 that resulted in three broken vertebrae.

There was further South Australian success in track cycling with Felicity Johnson and pilot Stephanie Morton winning gold in the women's individual one kilometre tandem time trial, and setting a new Paralympic record in the process. Paralympic debutant wheelchair athlete Nathan Arkley won a bronze medal in the men's 4 x 400 relay (T53-54). He also competed in the men's marathon finishing 17^th out of 32 athletes. These are great results for the 17 year old who must be considered a great prospect for Rio.

Gabriel Cole, Katy Parrish and Michael Roeger in athletics, Grace Bowman in equestrian, swimmers Jay Dohnt and Esther Overton, and goalball team member Rachel Henderson all performed admirably on the world stage in London.

I would also like to make special mention of shooter Libby Kosmala who retired from Paralympic competition in London having represented Australia and South Australia at an amazing 11 Paralympic Games. The oldest Australian team member at 70, Libby made the final of the women's 10 metre air rifle standing event to finish eighth overall and placed 24^th overall in the mixed 10 metre air rifle prone event. It was a great privilege when I was younger to be instructed in shooting by Libby Kosmala.

The assistance provided by the South Australian Sports Institute and relevant sporting organisations, as well as the family, friends and supporters who helped these athletes reach their goals and fulfil their dreams, is also acknowledged and appreciated. South Australians can be proud of the performances of all 14 of our athletes and coaches representing Australia at the 2012 London Paralympic Games, and we look forward to welcoming them home on 26 September (next Wednesday) at the Welcome Home Civic Reception.