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Legendary Para-shooter Libby Kosmala has marked her induction into the Sport Australia Hall of Fame by revealing she would like to attend the Paris 2024 Paralympics, this time as a coach.
Kosmala – the winner of 13 Paralympic medals including nine gold at a record 12 Paralympics between 1972 and 2016 – described her inclusion in the prestigious Hall of Fame as a wonderful way to cap off her career.
“It was an exciting weekend,” Kosmala said.
“It’s a beautiful medal, unbelievable. I showed it to a couple of people yesterday and they said, ‘Oh, you’d better get that insured. That looks like real gold and silver!’ It’s magnificent, beautiful. I’m very honoured and very happy with it all.
“I’ve had lots of people call to say congratulations. I was on the news last night on Channel Seven. There’s going to be a big celebration in a few weeks, too, which is lovely.”
Kosmala joins seven other Para-athletes in the Sport Australia Hall of Fame: swimmers Priya Cooper and Matthew Cowdrey, wheelchair tennis player David Hall, wheelchair basketball player Troy Sachs, wheelchair racer Louise Sauvage, alpine skier Michael Milton and multi-sport Para-athlete Frank Ponta.
Paralympics Australia Chief Executive Lynne Anderson said Kosmala’s induction befitted her extraordinary career.
“Libby is a national treasure and an indelible part of the Australian Paralympic story,” Anderson said.
“No one has competed at more Games and few have won more medals. To have remained near the top of her sport for such an incredible length of time is a testament to Libby’s great determination, skill and positivity.
“I’m grateful the Sport Australia Hall of Fame has recognised Libby as one of the greats of Australian sport and I’m so pleased also to hear that she continues to work with some of the nation’s up-and-coming shooters.”
Kosmala and Sauvage are among the former Para-athletes who have provided artefacts from their careers to display at the Paralympics Australia museum at The Hangar at Essendon Football Club in Melbourne. The museum opens next month.
Kosmala, 79, won a bronze medal in swimming at the 1972 Heidelberg Games before switching to shooting, in which she excelled for decades, including winning four gold medals at the New York 1984 Games and three gold medals and a silver at Seoul four years later. Her final Paralympics was Rio 2016, though she continues to compete and coach.
“Mine is a mental sport – they say 90 percent mental – and that helped me keep going,” she said. “I didn’t necessarily keep going that long at that level because I wanted to, I had coaches who said, ‘You’re up to world standard so you’ve got to go!’
Kosmala’s love for the Paralympic Games and shooting remains. She said she enjoyed watching Tokyo 2020, gaining a perspective she’d never experienced.
“It was very interesting because I saw sports that I hadn’t seen before. When you’re at the Games, you haven’t really got the time or energy to look at the other sports. You spend a lot of time watching fellow competitors in your own sport. For example, I didn’t know what goalball was all about and I really enjoyed watching it on the television. I watched the Games non-stop and really enjoyed it.
“If I find the money and I’m still healthy and well, I might go off to Paris and have a look. I’m coaching able-bodied and disabled shooters, though not many disabled unfortunately. One or two young girls I’m coaching could make the Paris Games and if they did, I’d be very keen to go and watch and support them. I’d love to find a wheelchair shooter and get them to Paris as well.
“I’m still shooting and still enjoying it. So why not keep coaching and encouraging the juniors?”
By: David Sygall, Paralympics Australia
Posted: 15 November 2021
