Australian Paralympic team arrives in Sydney after winning 63 medals at the Paris Games

ABC NEWS (Australia)

Australia’s Paralympic team has returned home after a successful campaign in Paris. Australia finished ninth on the medal tally with 18 gold, their achievements are set to inspire the next generation.

Transcript

00:00The Australian Paralympic team was given the same homecoming reception provided to the

00:09Olympians, a gesture that was warmly received.

00:13It means that society is recognising that Olympian and Paralympian are equal and their

00:18achievement is just as important.

00:20These athletes are just remarkable, they've overcome adversity, they have represented

00:26their country with pride and with courage.

00:29And they made history.

00:34Jed Altshwager and Nikki Ayres won Australia's first ever gold in para rowing.

00:40Pure excitement, joy, happiness, pride.

00:43Jamison Leeson is the first Australian female to medal in boccia.

00:47Hopefully this piece of medal hanging around my neck will play a part in getting more people

00:52involved in boccia and para sport in general.

00:55It's really inspiring because I myself want to go to 2032 Brisbane.

01:00Some veterans are also looking ahead to a home games.

01:04The French crowd, they were awesome, they just went berserk, especially when there was

01:07French swimmers.

01:08So that's what spurred me on I think to swim until 2032 because I'd like to see what the

01:14Aussies, I reckon the Aussies will go one step above.

01:17Others are setting short term goals.

01:20We've got world championships next year and the ultimate goal at the moment is LA28 to

01:25try and make that team.

01:26Madison Di Rosario's father died at the beginning of the Paralympics.

01:30Her family encouraged her to stay and compete.

01:34She won a silver and a bronze.

01:37I'm so grateful to the team and to our staff for making that so doable that I was able

01:42to get out there and race.

01:43And regardless of how these athletes went in Paris, nothing would beat a hug from loved

01:48ones.

01:50I'm so grateful to the team and to our staff for making that so doable that I was able

01:52to get out there and race.

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