What is Talent Search?

The Paralympic Talent Search Program is open to people with disabilities that enable them to participate in events currently on the Paralympic Games schedule.
 
This includes but is not limited to amputees, people with cerebral palsy, limb deficiencies, people in wheelchairs, people with a vision impairment and people with an intellectual disability.

The Paralympic Talent Search Program is an initiative of the Australian Paralympic Committee (APC) introduced following the Athens Paralympic Games. Its main aim is to identify people with physical disabilities who display the athletic potential to one day make it to Paralympic level competition.

Is the Paralympic Talent Search Program successful?

Since its inception in 2005, the program has enjoyed great success, testing over 1800 Paralympic hopefuls in every state and territory across Australia.

Some statistics of the program include;

43 Talent Search participants represented Australia at the London 2012 Paralympic Games winning 28 medals, including 10 gold.

2 Talent Search participants represented Australia at the Vancouver 2010 Paralympic Winter Games winning one bronze medal.

27 Talent Search participants represented Australia at the 2008 Beijing Paralympic Games winning 14 medals, including two gold.

How do I get involved?

Initially we suggest you review which sports you may be eligible for depending on your impairment type using our Select-a-Sport tool.

Following this, you could attend a Talent Search testing day which involves a series of testing including general measurements as well as sport specific tests. Coaches from the targeted sports are involved in the testing process and are ultimately the “talent spotters”. The APC then works in conjunction with our Paralympic coaches, State Sporting Organisations and in some cases a Disability Sport Organisation to assist each individual talented participant to access training, coaching and competition opportunities for their chosen sport.  

Attending a Talent Search day is the first step in the process of identifying people with disabilities who display the potential to make a future Australian Paralympic team. Where a participant fits within the Paralympic Classification system for each individual sport may also influence the time required to reach or be successful at an international level.  The Australian Paralympic Committee can assist new athletes to receive a Classification for your chosen sport.

All participants are provided with information and guidance to help them become involved in physical activity at any level they wish to pursue irrespective of their likely potential to participate at an elite level. Those identified as showing potential will be encouraged to take the next step in their sporting endeavors, which will vary from sport to sport and person to person.

Examples of what these next steps may be include:
•    Committing to a regular training program with an identified coach
•    Joining the relevant sporting club and taking part in regular competition
•    Linking with an athlete mentor who is a past or present Paralympian

Registrations for Talent Search or Classification.

APC State Development Coordinator Contacts