Paralympics Australia Director of Sport during the Sydney 2000 Games Jenni Banks, has been enlisted to lead a new initiative to improve coaching for Para athletes aiming to compete at the Brisbane 2032 Games.
Australian Sports Commission Executive General Manager of AIS Performance Matti Clements said Ms Banks, who was also a former UK Athletics Wheelchair Racing Coach, would lead the newly established Project Para, one of the key initiatives of the $54.9m Para Uplift program aiming to address systemic and structural barriers to performance for Para athletes.
Ms Clements said Ms Banks would spearhead the push to ensure the nation’s Para athletes had access to the world’s best coaches in the lead up to Brisbane 2032 and beyond.
“The historic investment made by the Australian Government into Para sport gives us the opportunity to ensure sustainable sporting success that will inspire and motivate Australians for generations to come,” she said.
Ms Banks, who has coached athletes, including Australia’s Louise Sauvage, to more than 40 Paralympic, Olympic, and World Championship medals, said it was important to not only increase the number of coaches, but also the expertise of the coaches.
“Currently there is not enough Para coaches to provide support to the planned increase in the number of Paralympic athletes in the lead up to Brisbane 2032,” she said.
“If we’re going to get the best results, we need people that have got really strong sports specific expertise, but also that Para specific expertise. So, my role will be not only to help increase the number of coaches but also increase the capability of the coaches that we already have.”
