Raissa competed in athletics at local and state level from the age of nine through to the end of high school. She was aware of goalball, but didn’t have access to an accessible team sport in my regional area, around Hervey Bay. She says she knew from a very young age that she wanted to become a Paralympian, “it was only ever a matter of how and when” – and athletics gave her the grounding to understand the demands of training and perseverance.

After taking some time away to complete my business degree, Raissa started playing goalball in 2012 to give herself an outlet after four years away from any competition. She found she enjoyed the sport and was thrilled to be offered a place in the national squad in 2013. That led to Raissa playing her first game for Australia in 2015 at the IBSA World Games. In 2016, …

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Date of birth
3 March 1991
Sport
Goalball
Past Paralympic Games

Rio 2016, Tokyo 2020

Impairment
Vision Impairment – Rod monochromatism
How acquired
Congenital
Residence
Brisbane, QLD
Occupation
Middle School Officer - Vision Impairment: Ambrose Treacy College
Started competing
2012
First competed for Australia
2015
Sport career highlights

Competing at the Rio Paralympic Games in 2016

Greatest sporting moments

France winning the World Cup in soccer in 1998 - my family are French

Heroes/role models

Meica Horsburgh and Nicole Esdaile, who taught me so much about goalball

Favourite quote
"It is not the word that is important. It’s the idea and the ambition behind it.” - Emma Watson

Disciplines

  • Sport: Goalball Classification: B3

Social Media

  • instagram