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The Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk and Brisbane Lord Mayor Adrian Schrinner will celebrate Australia’s Tokyo 2020 Olympic and Paralympic Teams with an official welcome home and celebration event in Brisbane on Friday, 8 October.
Almost 220 Queensland athletes and officials from the Tokyo 2020 Games teams will reunite at a Covid-safe event at King George Square, where they will be honoured by a parochial home crowd for their amazing achievements at the Games.
Queensland-based athletes won a total of 56 medals at the Tokyo Olympic Games and Paralympic Games. This included Australian Paralympians from Queensland winning nine gold, eight silver and 11 bronze, contributing 28 medals out of Australia’s total of 80 medals at the Paralympics.
Paralympics Australia Chief Executive Officer, Lynne Anderson, said, “Para-athletes from Queensland made up less than a quarter of the Australian Paralympic Team for Tokyo 2020, yet won more than half of our gold medals, an incredible result.
“It just goes to show what a remarkable culture of sporting success emanates from this great state and it’s another reason why we at Paralympics Australia are so excited about the journey towards the Brisbane 2032 Paralympics.
“While our fans weren’t physically able to travel from Queensland to support our Paralympians in Tokyo, our athletes certainly felt their overwhelming backing from home.
“I’d like to thank Premier Palaszczuk and Lord Mayor Schrinner for providing our Queensland Paralympians the opportunity to show their deep appreciation for that support, and their ongoing contribution to the Australian Paralympic movement,” she said.
William Martin, Australia’s leading Paralympic medallist at Tokyo 2020 with three gold medals and one silver, said, “I was extremely proud to represent Queensland as part of the Australian Paralympic Team in Tokyo and I’m so thankful for the opportunities growing up in this state have given me as I’ve pursued my swimming career.
“On behalf of my fellow local Paralympians, thank you to the Premier and the people of Queensland for your amazing support. We’re glad you enjoyed the Games.”
Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk said “The welcome will be even more exciting, knowing that we have also been chosen to host the Games in 2032.”
Brisbane Lord Mayor Adrian Schrinner said “This is a great opportunity for kids to start dreaming of emulating the success of our Olympians and Paralympians on home soil when the Games are held in Brisbane in 2032.”
By: Paralympics Australia
Posted: 27 September 2021
