What is talent search?

The Paralympic Talent Search Program is only 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, to name a few.

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. Of these, 27 athletes excelled through their sporting pathways to represent Australia at the 2008 Beijing Paralympic Games and win 14 medals. A further two Talent Search athletes represented Australia at the Vancouver Paralympic Games in 2010 with one of these, alpine skier Jessica Gallagher, winning a medal.

Since 2005, the APC's Paralympic Talent Search Program has successfully identified over 800 participants with the potential to compete at the London 2012, Sochi 2014, or Rio 2016 Paralympic Games. Many of these athletes are currently being guided through the appropriate Paralympic sporting pathways that will hopefully lead to success, but ultimately much will depend on the participants desire and will to succeed.

How do I get involved?

Each Talent Search Day 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. The APC want to ensure those who display a high level of commitment and dedication to achieving goals have the opportunity to succeed.
 
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. In some cases it may take a number of years of training and preparation to reach the standards required to compete at a Paralympic level, however in other cases this process may evolve relatively quickly.  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 their 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 endeavours, 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

•    Gaining a Classification

Upcoming Paralympic Talent Search dates

APC State Development Coordinator Contacts:

Registrations for an upcoming Toyota Paralympic Talent Search can be made here