Madison Unveils New Chair At Summer Down Under

NSW Institute of Sport (NSWIS) wheelchair athletes competed against some of the world’s best wheelchair racers at the 2023 Summer Down Under over the weekend at the renowned Australian Institute of Sport (AIS) Athletics Track in Canberra.

“It was pretty wet yesterday, so conditions weren’t fantastic, but overall the event went well,” National Wheelchair Track and Road coach Louise Sauvage said.

“It was an opportunity for the athletes to compete on the track for the first time in a long time and some of them achieved B qualifiers for worlds.”

Madison de Rozario was the best placed NSWIS scholarship holder winning the women’s 800m in 1:58.46 and the women’s 5000m in 13:13.38.

The Paralympic gold medallist used the event to test her new racing wheelchair for the first time, the only one in the country, a lightweight, full-carbon frame chassis with specially designed wheels to ensure low air resistance and high stability.

“Madison did not set any ground breaking time in her new chair but it was definitely a great opportunity to test its ability,” National Wheelchair Track and Road coach Louise Sauvage said.

Fellow NSWIS scholarship holder Aimee Fisher finished second in the 200m (34.42) behind Noemi Alphonse from Mauritius (30.62), third in 400m (1:06.54) and third in the 100m (19.84).

In the men’s events, Luke Bailey was the best placed NSWIS scholarship holder, finishing second in the men’s 100m (15.53) behind Tomoki Ikoma of Japan (15.32), second in the men’s 800m (1:41.20) and fourth in the men’s 1500m (3:08.46) behind fellow Australian Jake Lappin (3:05.83).

NSWIS scholarship holder Rheed McCracken finished fifth in the men’s 100m (16.42) and seventh in the men’s 800m (1:57.22)

The wheelchair athletes now turn their attention to the annual Oz Day 10km Wheelchair Road Race, a marquee event on the international wheelchair racing calendar held on 26 January in The Rocks Sydney.

NSWIS scholarship holders Madison de Rozario, Rheed McCracken, Ethan Moos and Luke Bailey are contesting the event.

NSWIS

Image courtesy of James Stankovic-Mowle