Liesl Tesch is one of the most positive and driven players on Australia’s women’s wheelchair basketball team. She loves the sport she plays and hopes through her own successes as well as those of others, people will be able to see the athleticism of the individuals playing wheelchair sports.

A bike accident in 1998 caused Liesl to turn to wheelchair basketball. After leading the Gliders to success at the Sydney 2000 Paralympic Games, Liesl was invited to play professionally in a men’s team in Europe, where she competed for teams in Madrid, Sardinia and Paris.

Never one to focus on the negative, she believes she has been given the opportunity to promote and encourage others to take an interest in wheelchair sports. Whilst her alliances will always lie firmly with her Australian team, she also makes a point of supporting other women’s wheelchair basketball teams - particularly those in third world countries. She has established several basketball clinics for wheelchair users in third world countries in an effort to see those who would not necessarily have the opportunity reach their potential.

Aiming for gold, the Gliders left Beijing with a bronze medal which has only inspired Liesl to continue playing until she wins the gold. She believes the Beijing Games were the best at which she has ever competed, not only because of China’s attention to detail but for the excitement and energy surrounding the Games themselves.