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Australian Steelers: Back-to-back gold beckons in Rio

Ryley Batt - Australian Paralympic Wheelchair Rugby player - Game action shot circa 2007
Roar Rookie
26th July, 2016
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Australian Steelers, the Australian national wheelchair rugby team, is going for back to back gold at the 2016 Rio Paralympics. Wheelchair rugby is commonly referred to as ‘murderball’ and it’s always one of the many highlights at the Paralympics.

The disability background of the Australian Steelers reinforces many of the risks encountered by Australian youth in growing up. Several members of the team frequently educate young people about the dangers of risk taking.

What is the disability background of the recently announced team for the Rio Paralympics?

Ryley Batt OAM – one of Australia’s most celebrated players was born without legs and with webbed fingers. He is the only current player with a birth defect. He has won a silver medal at the 2008 Beijing and gold medal at 2012 London Games.

Chris Bond OAM – a severe bowel infection while being treated for leukaemia at the age of 19 resulted in both his legs, left wrist and four fingers being amputated.

He won a gold medal at the 2012 London Games.

Several athletes’ disability resulted from car accidents.

Ryan Scott OAM – at age of 16 became a quadriplegic due to a car accident. He has won a silver medal at the 2008 Beijing and gold medal at 2012 London Games. He is the current captain.

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Cameron Carr OAM – a car accident at the age of 19 left this promising rugby league player with quadriplegia. He has won a silver medal at the 2008 Beijing and gold medal at 2012 London Games.

Josh Hose OAM – a car accident at the age of 19 left him with incomplete paraplegia. He won a gold medal at the 2012 London Games.

Jason Lees OAM – at the age of 23 he became incomplete quadriplegic as a result of motocross accident. He won a gold medal at the 2012 London Games.

Jayden Warn – car accident at the age of 16 left him with incomplete quadriplegia. He makes his debut at Rio Games.

Several athletes’ disability has resulted from recreational activity accidents.

Nazem Erdem OAM – became a quadriplegic at the age of 20 after diving off a pier into shallow water. He won a silver medal at the 2000 Sydney and 2008 Beijing Games and gold medal at 2012 London Games. Rio will be his fifth Games.

Andrew Harrison OAM – at the age of 17 became a quadriplegic as a result of diving into a shallow river. He won a gold medal at the 2012 London Games.

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Andrew Edmondson – surfing accident at Coogee Beach at the age of 13 left him with incomplete quadriplegia. He makes his debut at Rio Games.

Ben Fawcett – a snowboard accident in New Zealand at the age of 18 led to him becoming a quadriplegic. He makes his debut at Rio Games.

Matt Lees – at the age of 24 was severely injured when making a homemade bomb using a gas cylinder. The accident resulted in him having both his legs amputated above the knee and losing most of his fingers. He makes his debut at Rio Games.

Brad Dubberley
– the Australian Steelers Head Coach since 2006 became a quadriplegic after falling down a cliff at age of 12. As a player he won a silver medal at the 2000 Sydney Games. He has coached the Australian Steelers to a silver medal at 2008 Beijing and 2012 London Games.

The team going to Rio has plenty of experience with eight members from gold medal winning London Games team. The Australian Steelers, the reigning world champions, will need to overcome strong opposition from United States (current no 1), Canada, Great Britain and Japan to retain gold.

The background of these athletes highlights how easy it to acquire a disability through a car or recreational accident. In reading about these athletes, wheelchair rugby has definitely played an important role in their rehabilitation and helped them move in a new life direction. Many of these athletes were driven to the wheelchair rugby due to its team and physical nature. Something which was a part of their life before their accident.

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