Paralympians & members in the community

Paralympians and Members in the community

There has been little rest for many of our Paralympic athletes since arriving back from Beijing. With the extensive media coverage and support provided by the ABC at the recent Beijing 2008 Paralympic Games, demand for Paralympians to make appearances and speak of their experiences has been at an all time high. Many other Wheelchair Sports Victoria members have also been ac

tive in spreading the message about our activities, programs and successes.

Athletics Gold Medallist Chris Mullins recently met Federal Parliamentary Secretary for Disabilities Mr Bill Shorten at the Rose Hill Secondary College as a part of our Wheel Talk Disability Awareness Program. Along with Wheel Talk Coordinator Sean Corcoran, Chris spoke to the students about his disability as well as his Beijing experiences, handing around his Gold medal for the students to see before they all joined in a wheelchair basketball session.

Chris also joined handcyclist Glen Wood to speak with staff at Vic Super on Ride to Work Day. While Chris talked about Beijing and that Gold medal, Glen talked about his experiences riding his handcycle through the French Alps made famous by the Tour de France, and the challenging rides he has completed as a part of the Wheelchair Sports Victoria Le Tour Handcycle events, the most recent from Wangaratta to Melbourne in three days.

Swimming Gold and Silver Medallist Sam Bramham recently dropped in on Merrick and Rosso in the Nova studio to talk about Beijing and all of his adventures growing up including a shark attack he faked once with his mates while on holidays, and the time he then spent explaining to local police about his already missing leg. Sam will also be the guest of honour at the Holy Saviour Community Festival in Vermont where he will officially open the event and sign autographs for the expected audience of 5,000 people.

Our Silver Medal winning Wheelchair Rugby boys in hot demand for a photo shoot with Victorian Wheelchair Rugby League sponsor Yarra Trams, so that they could be featured on the front page of the upcoming Yarra Trams Magazine. Bryce Alman, Nazim Erdem and Shane Brand braved a chilly Melbourne afternoon to pose for photos at an accessible tram stop in the heart of Melbourne on Collins Street. The Silver medals on display were a popular attraction for commuters waiting for the next tram and those getting off at the stop