Vic: Victoria honours its Paralympic heroes as elite athletes

AAP General News (Australia)
12-02-2000
Vic: Victoria honours its Paralympic heroes as elite athletes

MELBOURNE, Dec 2 AAP - Victoria's Paralympians received state medallions today honouring
their return home from the Sydney Games as elite athletes in their chosen sports.

Co-captain of the national team Sandy Blythe said the Sydney Paralympics had heralded
a "new dawn" for recognising Paralympians as sports people in their own right.

"Today is very much about athletes first, second, and third - not whether they're disabled,"

said Mr Blythe, who also captained the wheelchair basketball team.

"People now realise there are sensational Olympic athletes in the country, there are
sensational Paralympic athletes in the country."

Community Services Minister Christine Campbell presented the glass-etched medallions
to the 34 athletes available from the state's contingent of 60.

"None of us ever expected the depth of feeling that permeated not only Victoria but
Australia but indeed the world," Ms Campbell said.

Victorian Paralympians contributed 17 gold, 4 silver and 12 bronze medals to Australia's
haul of 149 medals which topped medal tallies.

"The overwhelming success of the Sydney Paralympics is more than the final medal tally,"

she said.

"The Paralympics and the Olympics prompted many of us to reflect on what it is to be
human," she said.

"People in the community recognise you as elite athletes and it has been your skills
as athletes that has been recognised by the community."

Ms Campbell thanked the Paralympians for creating a "seachange" in community attitudes
toward people with disabilities ahead the International Day for People with a Disability
tomorrow.

AAP nl/cjh

KEYWORD: PARALYMPIC VIC

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