In 2010, Jessica Gallagher created history at the Winter Paralympics in Vancouver, becoming the first Australian woman to ever win a Winter Paralympic Games medal. With guide Eric Bickerton, Jessica claimed bronze in the women’s vision-impaired slalom, capping an amazing rise in the sport after joining the APC’s Alpine Skiing program in 2009. And to make her momentous Paralympic medal even more special, she was able to win it on her 24th birthday.

Her rapid rise as a Paralympic skier came after her track and field career was placed on hold following the 2008 Beijing Games. Having earned selection to the Australian team in the 100m, long jump, discus and shot put, Jessica was ruled out the day before the Opening Ceremony after Paralympic classifiers declared her right eye was 0.1 of a degree too sighted to legally compete.

With a rare disease known as cone dystrophy which continues to deteriorate her sight, Jessica became eligible for both the summer and Winter Paralympics and has now returned to athletics in the long jump and javelin. Making her Australian debut at the 2011 IPC Athletics World Championships, just 10 months after the Vancouver Games, Jessica won a silver medal in the long jump and a bronze medal in the javelin.

Jessica describes herself as friendly, outgoing and focused firmly on success. Outside of training she works as an osteopath and describes helping a wheelchair user suffering from chronic back pain as one of the proudest moments of her life.

Jessica loves the Essendon Bombers and spending time with her family and friends to relax as well as travelling to new places. In 2010 she was named Female Australian Paralympian of the Year for her bronze medal performance in Vancouver and is now working towards her quest to be the first Australian athlete to medal at both a summer and winter Paralympic Games.