Program Overview

The Para Sports Program will focus on removing barriers for Para-athletes in regional areas by offering access strength & conditioning support, education, and additional targeted development opportunities. The program will aim to complement and elevate an athlete’s current training program.

The 2024 Para Sports program will run from October 2023 to July 2024. Athletes will graduate from the program at the 2024 Presentation Night in July.

Athlete Benefits

The purpose of the Para-sports program is to:

• Identify and connect pre-categorised Para-athletes (with potential to progress to Emerging/Developing Australian Institute of Sport (AIS) Categorisation within 2 years) to athlete servicing and support provided through the Northern Inland Academy of Sport (NIAS), with the goal of supporting athletes to be National Institute Network (NIN) ready by the time they achieve categorisation.
• Selected athletes will receive support tailored specifically to their needs.

Athlete Eligibility

To be eligible for selection in the 2024 program athletes must:

• Be turning 13-18 years old in 2024. (Due to the nature of Para-sport and some athletes acquiring their impairment after the age of 18, special consideration may be given to athletes outside the eligible age, subject to the approval of NIAS in consultation with Paralympics Australia (PA).
• Be representing one (or more) of the 28 Para-sports and events competed at the Paralympic Games. https://www.paralympic.org.au/play-para-sport/
• Have an eligible physical, vision, and/or intellectual impairment for Para-sport, based on previous national or provisional classification: https://www.paralympic.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/PA_Para-Sport_WhatImpairments_A4_new_May23.pdf
• Be representing at a state or national level within their Para-sport or show appropriate talent potential as determined by the National Sporting Organisation (NSO) for their sport and Paralympics Australia.
• Must be living or attending a school within the catchment area of NIAS while the program is being conducted.

Each athlete nomination for the para-sports program will be assessed on its merits.