1 00:00:00,120 --> 00:00:03,000 Speaker 1: Today's episode of TDA Medal Moments is brought to you 2 00:00:03,040 --> 00:00:06,520 Speaker 1: by Deacon University, the number one sports science school in 3 00:00:06,559 --> 00:00:09,959 Speaker 1: the world. Visit Deacon dot EU dot au to learn more, 4 00:00:10,200 --> 00:00:14,280 Speaker 1: or click the link in today's show notes. 5 00:00:17,000 --> 00:00:19,200 Speaker 2: Good morning, and welcome to the Daily OS. 6 00:00:19,239 --> 00:00:22,759 Speaker 1: I'm George, I'm Sam, and welcome to this very special 7 00:00:22,920 --> 00:00:25,759 Speaker 1: edition of tda's Medal Moments. Its been a while since 8 00:00:25,800 --> 00:00:28,920 Speaker 1: we've jumped on here, where our focus firmly shifts to 9 00:00:29,200 --> 00:00:31,560 Speaker 1: the Paralympic Games, which start today. 10 00:00:31,920 --> 00:00:34,240 Speaker 2: Yeah, we've been missing a bit of afterwork sport action 11 00:00:34,440 --> 00:00:37,520 Speaker 2: on televisions, so I am counting down the hours until 12 00:00:37,560 --> 00:00:40,760 Speaker 2: the events kick off. Australia has sent a formidable team 13 00:00:40,800 --> 00:00:43,760 Speaker 2: of one hundred and sixty athletes competing across seventeen of 14 00:00:43,800 --> 00:00:46,240 Speaker 2: the twenty two sports on offer. I thought what we'd 15 00:00:46,280 --> 00:00:48,680 Speaker 2: do on today's pod is highlight some of the standout 16 00:00:48,720 --> 00:00:50,880 Speaker 2: athletes to watch over the next couple of weeks. 17 00:00:51,159 --> 00:00:53,120 Speaker 1: That sounds really good, George. I'm really keen to get 18 00:00:53,159 --> 00:00:57,279 Speaker 1: into who these Paralympians are so that when they hopefully 19 00:00:57,400 --> 00:01:00,240 Speaker 1: claim their gold medal, we kind of understand the only 20 00:01:00,280 --> 00:01:02,280 Speaker 1: that they've gone on to get there. Why don't we 21 00:01:02,320 --> 00:01:05,360 Speaker 1: start in the pool. That's often a place where we look, 22 00:01:05,400 --> 00:01:08,000 Speaker 1: as we did in the Olympics, to where a lot 23 00:01:08,000 --> 00:01:10,320 Speaker 1: of our medals are going to come from. Who are 24 00:01:10,360 --> 00:01:12,480 Speaker 1: some of the key competitors we should be keeping an 25 00:01:12,480 --> 00:01:12,800 Speaker 1: eye on. 26 00:01:13,240 --> 00:01:16,280 Speaker 2: Okay, Yeah, well let's start with Alexa Leary. She's a 27 00:01:16,319 --> 00:01:20,360 Speaker 2: Paris swimmer making her Paralympic debut. After a cycling accident 28 00:01:20,400 --> 00:01:23,240 Speaker 2: in twenty twenty one left her with a traumatic brain injury, 29 00:01:23,640 --> 00:01:27,880 Speaker 2: she spent six months in hospital relearning basic skills. Now 30 00:01:28,080 --> 00:01:30,440 Speaker 2: she's a force to be reckoned within the pool, having 31 00:01:30,440 --> 00:01:33,240 Speaker 2: won gold and silver at last year's World Championships. 32 00:01:33,640 --> 00:01:36,039 Speaker 1: And one of the cool things about her that we 33 00:01:36,080 --> 00:01:39,440 Speaker 1: saw at the Paralympic and the Olympic Swimming Trials was 34 00:01:39,520 --> 00:01:41,640 Speaker 1: just what a present she is on camera, Like she 35 00:01:41,680 --> 00:01:44,759 Speaker 1: gave these awesome post swim interviews. We know you've already 36 00:01:44,760 --> 00:01:47,720 Speaker 1: represented your country at Commwealth Games, but now you're actually 37 00:01:47,720 --> 00:01:50,920 Speaker 1: going to the Paralympics. I'm so excited. I'm like, it's 38 00:01:50,920 --> 00:01:54,160 Speaker 1: the Crepes for me. I can't wait to see what 39 00:01:54,200 --> 00:01:57,240 Speaker 1: she says to the media after her swims in Paris. There, 40 00:01:57,240 --> 00:01:58,880 Speaker 1: it's a really inspiring story. 41 00:01:59,080 --> 00:02:02,320 Speaker 2: Yeah, she's absolutely amazing. One of the most positive people 42 00:02:02,560 --> 00:02:03,240 Speaker 2: you've ever seen. 43 00:02:03,520 --> 00:02:07,520 Speaker 1: That's fantastic. And whilst there are people like Alexilari in 44 00:02:07,560 --> 00:02:10,640 Speaker 1: the pool who are coming for their first time competing 45 00:02:10,639 --> 00:02:14,280 Speaker 1: for Australia, there's also a crew of swimming veterans, right. 46 00:02:14,760 --> 00:02:17,720 Speaker 2: Yeah, so Brendan Hall, he's one of our flag bearers. 47 00:02:18,040 --> 00:02:20,800 Speaker 2: He's competing in his fifth Paralympics. He made his debut 48 00:02:20,840 --> 00:02:23,520 Speaker 2: in Beijing in two thousand and eight. He has six 49 00:02:23,600 --> 00:02:26,600 Speaker 2: Paralympic medals to his name and he's a world record 50 00:02:26,600 --> 00:02:28,520 Speaker 2: holder in multiple freestyle events. 51 00:02:28,560 --> 00:02:29,680 Speaker 1: As a decent effort, he. 52 00:02:29,639 --> 00:02:31,800 Speaker 2: Had his right leg amputato at the age of six 53 00:02:31,919 --> 00:02:35,359 Speaker 2: due to chicken pox and he's now a champion swimmer. 54 00:02:35,400 --> 00:02:37,079 Speaker 2: It's truly remarkable. 55 00:02:36,680 --> 00:02:38,680 Speaker 1: And just like in the Olympics, there are two flag 56 00:02:38,720 --> 00:02:41,960 Speaker 1: bearers for our Paralympic team. We've got Brendan Hall, but 57 00:02:42,000 --> 00:02:45,040 Speaker 1: then we also have Madison der Rosario. Tell me a 58 00:02:45,080 --> 00:02:45,600 Speaker 1: bit about her. 59 00:02:45,919 --> 00:02:49,360 Speaker 2: Yeah, So, Mattie's a Paralympic veteran. She made her debut 60 00:02:49,360 --> 00:02:52,240 Speaker 2: in two thousand and eight, but it wasn't until Tokyo 61 00:02:52,320 --> 00:02:54,880 Speaker 2: where she really broke through and won two gold medals, 62 00:02:54,919 --> 00:02:58,359 Speaker 2: winning the women's wheelchair marathon and the wheelchair eight hundred meter. 63 00:02:58,960 --> 00:03:02,000 Speaker 2: This year, she's coming in the wheelchair marathon again, looking 64 00:03:02,040 --> 00:03:05,200 Speaker 2: to defend her title, and she'll also be competing in 65 00:03:05,200 --> 00:03:07,519 Speaker 2: the five thousand meter and the fifteen hundred meter. 66 00:03:07,720 --> 00:03:09,760 Speaker 1: I mean, Tokyo was really a huge moment for her 67 00:03:09,840 --> 00:03:13,760 Speaker 1: and her profile has just grown so much since those Games. 68 00:03:13,760 --> 00:03:16,119 Speaker 1: She's got a massive Instagram presence. I've seen her pop 69 00:03:16,200 --> 00:03:19,520 Speaker 1: up on different brand campaigns. She's really kind of riding 70 00:03:19,520 --> 00:03:21,040 Speaker 1: the wave and I think she's really going to try 71 00:03:21,080 --> 00:03:22,280 Speaker 1: and build on that in Paris. 72 00:03:22,760 --> 00:03:26,160 Speaker 2: Yeah, she's a genuine star and she's certainly one of 73 00:03:26,200 --> 00:03:27,400 Speaker 2: the people to watch in Paris. 74 00:03:27,800 --> 00:03:30,000 Speaker 1: Why don't we turn to some of the athletes who 75 00:03:30,000 --> 00:03:33,560 Speaker 1: perhaps haven't been dominating the headlines, but are nonetheless worth 76 00:03:33,600 --> 00:03:35,400 Speaker 1: profiling in this conversation? 77 00:03:35,920 --> 00:03:38,440 Speaker 2: Yeah, well, I think one name to watch is definitely 78 00:03:38,440 --> 00:03:42,960 Speaker 2: Talaya Blacksmith. At just sixteen, she's debuting as the first 79 00:03:42,960 --> 00:03:46,400 Speaker 2: wall period para athlete to represent Australia. We'll see her 80 00:03:46,400 --> 00:03:48,640 Speaker 2: in the T twenty four hundred meter and long jump, 81 00:03:48,720 --> 00:03:51,640 Speaker 2: and it's fair to say Blacksmith's participation is a really 82 00:03:51,680 --> 00:03:54,200 Speaker 2: significant milestone for First Nations athletes. 83 00:03:54,480 --> 00:03:57,640 Speaker 1: Sixteen year ten going to the Paralympics for Australia. That 84 00:03:57,800 --> 00:03:59,040 Speaker 1: is quite an achievement. 85 00:03:59,160 --> 00:03:59,960 Speaker 2: Yeah, insane. 86 00:04:00,160 --> 00:04:03,880 Speaker 1: Why don't we end with Alistair Donohue. He's a really 87 00:04:04,080 --> 00:04:07,640 Speaker 1: genuine medal hope in cycling. We haven't talked about cycling yet. 88 00:04:07,680 --> 00:04:09,400 Speaker 1: Tell me a bit about our hopes there. 89 00:04:10,040 --> 00:04:13,600 Speaker 2: Yeah. So he's a paracyclist who made his Paralympic debut 90 00:04:13,680 --> 00:04:18,200 Speaker 2: in Rio. In Rio, he crashed meters before the line 91 00:04:18,320 --> 00:04:21,359 Speaker 2: and ran across the line, which was ultimately as undoing 92 00:04:21,440 --> 00:04:23,479 Speaker 2: because you have to cross the line with your bike. 93 00:04:24,720 --> 00:04:28,840 Speaker 2: And then in Tokyo the course was severely impacted by 94 00:04:28,880 --> 00:04:31,039 Speaker 2: wet weather and he had a couple of crashes and 95 00:04:31,120 --> 00:04:34,160 Speaker 2: ended up coming fifth, which was a really impressive effort. 96 00:04:34,320 --> 00:04:37,240 Speaker 1: It's so crazy to hear those stories of redemption kind 97 00:04:37,279 --> 00:04:40,000 Speaker 1: of awaiting these athletes. He's now at his third Games. 98 00:04:40,000 --> 00:04:42,279 Speaker 1: He's had a tough run. It's going to be interesting 99 00:04:42,279 --> 00:04:44,640 Speaker 1: to see how he goes on the streets of Paris. 100 00:04:45,040 --> 00:04:47,800 Speaker 2: Yeah. To be fair, he has won medals in the 101 00:04:47,839 --> 00:04:51,960 Speaker 2: men's individual pursuit and in the men's road time trial, 102 00:04:52,880 --> 00:04:55,760 Speaker 2: but the road race is the one event that's eluded him, 103 00:04:55,839 --> 00:04:59,000 Speaker 2: and he's really desperate to win a medal, if not 104 00:04:59,080 --> 00:05:00,039 Speaker 2: win the gold. 105 00:05:00,040 --> 00:05:02,039 Speaker 1: And as we saw in the Olympics, I mean he 106 00:05:02,120 --> 00:05:04,400 Speaker 1: only has to contend with a couple of cobblestones and 107 00:05:04,560 --> 00:05:06,520 Speaker 1: probably some wet weather there. So it's not going to 108 00:05:06,560 --> 00:05:08,559 Speaker 1: be any easier, but definitely worth a watch. 109 00:05:08,720 --> 00:05:10,960 Speaker 2: Yeah, if anything, Paris could be more challenging. 110 00:05:11,360 --> 00:05:14,640 Speaker 1: George, I'm really excited for these Paralympic Games, and I 111 00:05:14,680 --> 00:05:16,280 Speaker 1: know it's going to be a big couple of weeks 112 00:05:16,320 --> 00:05:20,400 Speaker 1: for you as well leading the TDA sport program here 113 00:05:20,600 --> 00:05:23,520 Speaker 1: in the office. As we wrap up this podcast, what 114 00:05:23,640 --> 00:05:27,040 Speaker 1: can listeners and followers of TDA expect from our coverage 115 00:05:27,120 --> 00:05:28,880 Speaker 1: over the next kind of two weeks or so. 116 00:05:29,440 --> 00:05:31,240 Speaker 2: Yeah, so we're pretty much going to be looking to 117 00:05:31,360 --> 00:05:33,880 Speaker 2: replicate the coverage that we had for the Olympics, which 118 00:05:33,920 --> 00:05:38,280 Speaker 2: the TDA audience absolutely love. Is basically an update from 119 00:05:38,320 --> 00:05:41,040 Speaker 2: the last twenty four hours, a schedule. 120 00:05:40,720 --> 00:05:42,839 Speaker 1: Which let's help you with the TV viewing. 121 00:05:42,960 --> 00:05:44,720 Speaker 2: Yeah, lets you know what you need to put on 122 00:05:44,760 --> 00:05:47,359 Speaker 2: TV in the next twenty four hours. And then the 123 00:05:47,400 --> 00:05:50,240 Speaker 2: big stories have got us talking, the things that are 124 00:05:50,360 --> 00:05:53,840 Speaker 2: creating conversation in the office and at the water cooler. 125 00:05:54,240 --> 00:05:57,000 Speaker 1: Nice and it's always handy to have something like that, 126 00:05:57,120 --> 00:05:59,839 Speaker 1: especially because the hours of the broadcast are often the 127 00:05:59,839 --> 00:06:02,800 Speaker 1: little unforgiving. I mean, there's that nice kind of primetime 128 00:06:02,839 --> 00:06:04,600 Speaker 1: slot for us in the mornings, but some of the 129 00:06:04,640 --> 00:06:06,560 Speaker 1: action we know is going to happen at three, four 130 00:06:06,600 --> 00:06:08,839 Speaker 1: or five am. That's all going to be in your 131 00:06:08,839 --> 00:06:12,159 Speaker 1: TDA Sport newsletter. I'll throw a link in today's show 132 00:06:12,200 --> 00:06:14,280 Speaker 1: notes for everyone to sign up to that. And thank 133 00:06:14,320 --> 00:06:18,400 Speaker 1: you for tuning into this special episode of TDA Metal Moments. 134 00:06:18,560 --> 00:06:21,200 Speaker 1: And thanks so much for Deacon University for sponsoring the 135 00:06:21,320 --> 00:06:24,440 Speaker 1: launch of TDA Sport. We'll talk to you again tomorrow. 136 00:06:29,440 --> 00:06:32,279 Speaker 1: I've done so many interviews over the years for TDA 137 00:06:32,560 --> 00:06:35,880 Speaker 1: and one stands out as just one of those chats 138 00:06:35,960 --> 00:06:39,400 Speaker 1: where I left it feeling just so happy. And that 139 00:06:39,520 --> 00:06:43,720 Speaker 1: was with Australian Paralympic rower and Deacon University student Ol 140 00:06:43,960 --> 00:06:48,520 Speaker 1: viny Our's currently studying a Master of Business in Sport Management, 141 00:06:48,640 --> 00:06:50,680 Speaker 1: but for the next two weeks she will be firmly 142 00:06:50,720 --> 00:06:54,320 Speaker 1: focused on giving her all for Australia in the PR 143 00:06:54,400 --> 00:06:58,600 Speaker 1: three Mixed Coxed four rowing event. Here's a quick rundown 144 00:06:58,640 --> 00:07:01,920 Speaker 1: on OL's journey at the age of eighteen in twenty ten, 145 00:07:02,320 --> 00:07:05,440 Speaker 1: Our survived a high speed car accident caused by a 146 00:07:05,520 --> 00:07:09,039 Speaker 1: drunk driver. The accident left her with lasting impairments to 147 00:07:09,160 --> 00:07:12,840 Speaker 1: her left elbow, forearm, and hand, putting an end to 148 00:07:13,160 --> 00:07:17,280 Speaker 1: a promising rowing career through her high school years. Well 149 00:07:17,520 --> 00:07:20,080 Speaker 1: that's what she thought. Believing that her time as an 150 00:07:20,120 --> 00:07:24,360 Speaker 1: athlete had passed, Al channeled her passion for sport into 151 00:07:24,400 --> 00:07:27,440 Speaker 1: a career. She graduated with a Bachelor of Exercise and 152 00:07:27,520 --> 00:07:31,200 Speaker 1: Sports Science from Deacon University and in twenty eighteen someone 153 00:07:31,280 --> 00:07:34,840 Speaker 1: suggested to her that she should consider becoming a power athlete. 154 00:07:35,160 --> 00:07:37,880 Speaker 1: Only six months later, she set foot in a boat 155 00:07:37,960 --> 00:07:40,320 Speaker 1: for the first time since her accident and she began 156 00:07:40,360 --> 00:07:43,280 Speaker 1: to train. Now fast forward to twenty twenty one and 157 00:07:43,320 --> 00:07:46,800 Speaker 1: Our competed in Tokyo for Australia to finish in fourth 158 00:07:46,800 --> 00:07:49,200 Speaker 1: place in the same event, and this year in Paris, 159 00:07:49,320 --> 00:07:52,160 Speaker 1: she's looking for a medal. As Al says, there's a 160 00:07:52,200 --> 00:07:55,640 Speaker 1: place for everyone in sport. To learn more about Our's 161 00:07:55,720 --> 00:07:59,320 Speaker 1: journey as a paralympian and as a student at Deacon University, 162 00:07:59,520 --> 00:08:02,240 Speaker 1: clicked the Life in Today's show notes to read her story.