Australia at the 2004 Summer Paralympics


Australia competed at the 2004 Summer Paralympics in Athens, Greece. It was Australia's 12th year of participation at the Paralympics. The team included 151 athletes. Australian competitors won 101 medals to finish fifth in the gold medal table and second on the total medal table. Australia competed in 12 sports and won medals in 8 sports. The Chef de Mission was Paul Bird. The Australian team was smaller than the Sydney Games due to a strict selection policy related to the athletes' potential to win a medal and the International Paralympic Committee's decision to remove events for athletes with an intellectual disability from the Games due to issues of cheating at the Sydney Games. This was due to a cheating scandal with the Spanish intellectually disabled basketball team in the 2000 Summer Paralympics where it was later discovered that only two players actually had intellectual disabilities. The IPC decision resulted in leading Australian athletes such as Siobhan Paton and Lisa Llorens not being able to defend their Paralympic titles.

Outstanding performers

Some of the other outstanding Australian athletes included:
The 2004 Summer Paralympics, formally known as Games of the XXVIII Olympiad, was held from September 17 to September 28. The twelfth Paralympic Games, a total of 3,808 competitors from 135 countries participated. During these games 304 World Records were broken with 448 Paralympic Games Records being broken across 19 different sports. Addition of judo and sitting volleyball for women and football 5-a-side for men were included. The ticket sale for event saw a decrease in tickets sold, with about 850.000 tickets for the different competitions compared to 1.2 million sold at the 2000 Sydney games. The event was made possible through the help of 8,863 volunteers

Opening and Closing Ceremony

, a nine-time Paralympic gold medalist, lit the cauldron during the opening ceremonies for the 2000 Summer Paralympics in Sydney. On September 17, 2004, Sauvage carried the Australian flag into the opening ceremony stadium, "Spyridon Louis", at what was her 4th Paralympic games. She has a Sydney ferry, a street and a pathway named after her, as well as numerous school sport houses around Australia. After the parade of nations, the Games were declared opened by IPC President Sir Philip Craven and Greek president Cistis Stephanopoulos, before the Paralympic flame was lit by Georgios Toptsis. The opening ceremony was seen by 72,000 spectators in the stadium
Swimmer Matthew Cowdrey, recognized for his achievements during the games, was chosen to carry the Australia flag at the Closing Ceremony of the Games. The closing ceremony during the 2004 games was cut short and only entailed the protocol segments required to complete the Games, due to a tragic accident involving the deaths of seven high school students on their way to the Games. One minute of silence in tribute to the school students were held as the Paralympic flag flew half-mast. Australian gold medalist, Katrina Webb, who were critical of the Paralympic Organizers who removed the party element of the closing ceremony and thus leaving only the athletes' entry, the Paralympic President Phil Craven's speech and the handover of the flag to Beijing, said "Things like this happen, you can't stop everything. Life goes on. We should make sure we pay our respects in that regard but things should continue as they were."
The closing ceremony ended with the unveiling of the IPC's new logo

Media coverage

The 2000 Summer Paralympics in Sydney had the most comprehensive media coverage; and highest TV ratings ever experienced by a Paralympic Games for its time laying down the solid foundations for media surround the 2004 Summer Paralympics in Australia. The Athens Paralympics saw record media attendance with a total of 3,103 media representatives, including more than 66 broadcasters. The Paralympics were shown in 49 countries in addition to being broadcast worldwide via Eurosport and Reuters. A study of the broadcast coverage revealed approximately 1.86 billion viewers in total, distributed on 617 hours of coverage. The increase in media attendance is thought be attributed to the introduction of 5-a-side Football. The development in media attendance and coverage confirms that the media's interest in the Paralympis Games Since the Sydney 2000 Paralympics has grown.

Medal tally

There were 518 Medal events at the games. Australia brought home 101 medals, including a record 26 gold medals. The 2004 Paralympic Games in Athens were a precursor to the 2008 Summer Paralympics in Beijing. China dominated the medal count with more goal medals, more silver medals and more medals overall than any other nation. Australia had the second highest medal tally overall, which were 16% higher than it was in 1984.
RankNationGoldSilverBronzeTotal
1China634632141
2Great Britain35302994
3Canada28192572
4United States27223988
5Australia263936101

Medalists

MedalNameSportEvent
AthleticsMen's 100 m T38
AthleticsMen's 200 m T38
AthleticsMen's 400 m T38
AthleticsMen's 800 m T53
AthleticsMen's 5000 m T54
AthleticsMen's Marathon T54
, Benjamin Hall, Darren Thrupp, Paul BenzAthleticsMen's 4 × 100 m relay T35-T38
AthleticsWomen's 100 m T46
AthleticsWomen's 200 m T46
AthleticsWomen's 400 m T38
CyclingMen's bicycle road race/time trial CP4
CyclingMen's bicycle 3 km individual pursuit CP4
CyclingMen's tricycle road race CP 1/2
CyclingMen's bicycle 1 km time trial LC 1-4
, Kial StewartCyclingMen's tandem 1 km time trial B1-3
CyclingMen's bicycle 4 km individual pursuit LC1
, Robert CroweCyclingMen's tandem 4 km individual pursuit B1-3
, David ShortCyclingMen's tandem sprint B1-3
, Peter Brooks, Christopher ScottCyclingMen's bicycle team sprint LC 1-4&CP 3/4
, Janelle LindsayCyclingWomen's tandem sprint B 1-3
SwimmingMen's 100 m freestyle S8
SwimmingMen's 100 m freestyle S9
SwimmingMen's 200 m individual medley SM9
, Daniel Bell, Ben Austin, Alex HarrisSwimmingMen's 4 × 100 m medley relay 34 pts
SwimmingWomen's 400 m freestyle S7
SwimmingWomen's 100 m breaststroke SB6
AthleticsMen's 100 m T46
AthleticsMen's 400 m T46
AthleticsMen's 400 m T44
AthleticsMen's Marathon T13
, Richard Nicholson, Kurt Fearnley, Geoff TrappettAthleticsMen's 4 × 100 m relay T53/T54
, Don Elgin, Heath Francis, Stephen WilsonAthleticsMen's 4 × 400 m relay T42-T46
AthleticsMen's Shot put F33/34
AthleticsMen's Javelin throw F37
AthleticsWomen's 200 m T37
AthleticsWomen's 400 m T54
AthleticsWomen's Discus throw F37
CyclingMen's bicycle road race/time trial CP4
CyclingMen's tricycle time trial CP1/2
CyclingWomen's bicycle time trial LC 1-4&CP 3/4
, Toireasa RyanCyclingWomen's tandem road race/time trial B1-3
CyclingMen's bicycle 1 km time trial CP3/4
CyclingMen's bicycle 3 km individual pursuit CP4
, Toireasa RyanCyclingWomen's tandem 3 km individual pursuit B1-3
on Dr DoolittleEquestrianIndividual championship dressage GI
PowerliftingMen's +100 kg
ShootingMixed free rifle prone SH1
SwimmingMen's 100 m butterfly S8
SwimmingMen's 100 m butterfly S8
SwimmingMen's 100 m butterfly S10
SwimmingMen's 100 m breaststroke SB9
SwimmingMen's 200 m individual medley SM8
SwimmingMen's 200 m individual medley SM10
Ben Austin, Alex Harris, Matthew CowdreySwimmingMen's 4 × 100 m freestyle relay 34 pts
SwimmingWomen's 50 m freestyle S13
SwimmingWomen's 100 m freestyle S7
SwimmingWomen's 100 m freestyle S13
SwimmingWomen's 400 m freestyle S8
SwimmingWomen's 400 m freestyle S13
SwimmingWomen's 100 m butterfly S13
SwimmingWomen's 200 m individual medley SM13

Wheelchair BasketballMen's tournament

Wheelchair BasketballWomen's tournament
Wheelchair tennisMen's singles
AthleticsMen's 100 m T37
AthleticsMen's 200 m T46
, Neil Fuller, Stephen Wilson, Heath FrancisAthleticsMen's 4 × 100 m relay T42-T46
AthleticsMen's Long jump F36-38
AthleticsMen's Shot put F13
AthleticsMen's Shot put F36
AthleticsMen's Pentathlon P44
AthleticsWomen's 100 m T37
AthleticsWomen's 100 m T53
AthleticsWomen's Shot Put F12
CyclingMen's bicycle road race/time trial LC1
, Robert CroweCyclingMen's tandem road race/time trial B1-3
, Janet ShawCyclingWomen's tandem road race/time trial B1-3
CyclingMen's bicycle 3 km individual pursuit CP3
, Kial StewartCyclingMen's tandem sprint B1-3
, Janelle LindsayCyclingWomen's tandem 1 km time trial B1-3
, Janet ShawCyclingWomen's tandem 3 km individual pursuit B1-3
on Dr DoolittleEquestrianIndividual freestyle dressage GI
ShootingMen's air rifle standing SH1
SwimmingMen's 50 m freestyle S8
SwimmingMen's 50 m freestyle S9
SwimmingMen's 100 m freestyle S8
SwimmingMen's 400 m freestyle S9
SwimmingMen's 100 m backstroke S10
SwimmingWomen's 50 m butterfly S6
SwimmingWomen's 100 m butterfly S9
SwimmingWomen's 50 m breaststroke SB3
SwimmingWomen's 150 m individual medley SM4
SwimmingWomen's 100 m breaststroke SB13
SwimmingWomen's 100 m backstroke S7
SwimmingWomen's 200 m individual medley SM7
, Chantel Wolfenden, Lichelle Clarke, Kat LewisSwimmingWomen's 4 × 100 m freestyle relay 34 pts
, Brooke Stockham, Kate Bailey, Chantel WolfendenSwimmingWomen's 4 × 100 m medley relay 34 pts
SwimmingMen's 100 m butterfly S9
, Anthony BonaccursoWheelchair tennisMen's doubles
Wheelchair tennisWomen's singles

Events

Archery

Officials - Vicki O'Brien

Athletics

After the highly successful 2000 Summer Paralympic games where Australia finished the number one country in athletics, the goal for the 2004 Games were to finish aa a top three nation. After the dust had settled, Australia was number two on the athletics medal table and completed their best away Games ever.

Men's track

Men's field

Women's track

Women's field

Coaches - Scott Goodman, Paul Angel, Richard Bednall, Andrew Dawes, Iryna Dvoskina, John Eden, Brett Jones, Gary Lees, Alison O'Riordan
Officials - Andrew Faichney, Louise Mogg, Paul Rohwer, Greg Jones, Jodie Carey

Cycling

Australia were top of the medal table in cycling.

Men's road race

Men's track cycling (pairs / teams)

Men's track cycling (individual)

Women's road race

Women's track cycling

Coaches - Kevin McIntosh,Darryl Benson, Andrew Budge
Officials - Elsa Lepore, John Beer, Paul Lamond

Equestrian

Individual

Mixed team

Coaches - Gillian Rickard, Anne Hall
Officials - Sue Cusack, Judy Fyfe

Judo

Men

Women

Coach - Trevor Kschammer, Lara Sullivan

Powerlifting

Men

Women

Coaches – Martin Leach, Michael Farrell
Darren Gardiner originally finished third but was awarded the silver medal after Habibollah Mousavi, gold medallist in +100 kg was disqualified after a positive doping test.

Sailing

Australia represented in sailing:

Men - Jamie Dunross, Colin Harrison, Jeff Milligan, Peter Thompson
Coaches – Lachlan Gilbert, Geoff Chambers
Australia failed to win any medals in the two sailing events.

Shooting

Men

Women

Coaches - Miroslav Sipek, Hans Heiderman
Officials - Michelle Fletcher, Craig Jarvis, Elizabeth Ziebarth

Swimming

Men

Women

Coaches - Brendan Keogh, John Beckworth, Peter Bishop, Graeme Carroll, Gwen Godfrey, Paul Simms
Officials - Adam Luscombe, Zoe Young, Brendan Burkett,

Wheelchair basketball

Men

Before the Athens 2004 wheelchair basketball competition, the men's team, popularly called The Rollers, goal was to improve their fifth place from Sydney. With the help of quality leadership from both staff and senior players they succeeded and won the silver medal playing against Canada.
The silver medal would not have been possible without a great collective effort from the coaches or managerial staff.

Coaching and managerial staff

Looking to improve from their loss in the Sydney 2000 Paralympics wheelchair final, the women's Wheelchair basketball team, also called The Gliders, went undefeated through the preliminary rounds beating US, Great Britain and the Netherlands. In the quarterfinal they beat Mexico before they moved on to beat Germany in the semifinals. In the finals, the US awaited. For the second time in as many Paralympic games, The Gliders were unable to overcome US, but won the silver medal. The Gliders team, consisting of a total of 12 women, had seven first time Paralympians so the silver medal was a great accomplishment.

Women

Coaches and officials

Coaches: Alan Cox, Darryl Durham, Craig Friday, Gerry Hewson, Bernard Treseder.
Officials - Kelvin Browner, Michael Dowling, Sonia Healy.

Wheelchair rugby

The men's rugby team didn't win any medals: they were 5th out of 12.

Players

Coaches and officials

Coaches: Glenn Stephens and Terry Vinyard
Officials: Robert Doidge, Kim Ellwood and Maria Spiller.

Wheelchair tennis

Men

Women

Coaches - Greg Crump
Officials - Sallee Trewin

Administration

Headquarters staff - Paul Bird, Ken Brown, Nick Dean, Doug Denby, Jason Hellwig, Natalie Jenkins, Jacqui Knife, Richard Mathews, Stephen Mathews, Tony Naar, Graeme Watts
Sports Medicine and Sports Science - Syd Bourke, John Camens, Lily Chiu, Liz Cloughessy, Kieran Cusack, Maria Di Michele, Mick Jordan, David Lee, Murray Lydeamore, Mark MacDonald, Ingrid McKay, Claire Nichols, David Spurrier, Greg Ungerer, Luke Vladich
Media - Graham Cassidy, Katie Hodge, Margaret McDonald, David Lutteral