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Between coaching his Paralympic champion wife, running three businesses and studying part-time, Scott Reardon is determined to be the best father he can be.
It means that in the 10 weeks since his son Matteo was born, the Rio 2016 100 metres T42 gold medallist has had to be nearly as nimble in retirement as he was on the athletics track.
However, having reached the pinnacle of elite Para-sport, Reardon knows the importance of taking stock and it’s something he plans to do on his first Father’s Day, this weekend.
“I’ve always reflected a lot just to make sure I’m learning and on the right path,” said Reardon, who completed his outstanding career at Tokyo 2020.
“What better time to actually think about being a father than on the day that we’re meant to celebrate it. I’ve always been a big believer in just getting together on that day and acknowledging what being a father means. I know Vanessa is looking forward to celebrating the day as well.”
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Vanessa, of course, is Vanessa Low, the long jump T63 gold medallist at Tokyo and 2019 World Champion, who moved to Australia from Germany and married Reardon in 2018. Low, with her husband as coach, is aiming to compete at the 2023 Para-Athletics World Championships in Paris en route to the 2024 Paralympics where she will seek her third consecutive long jump title after winning for Germany at the Rio Games.
Achieving those goals will require exceptional matrimonial teamwork and there’s nothing like a newborn baby to push the limits.
One arena in which the couple’s harmony is being tested is in their speaking business. They’re enjoying talking about inclusion to interested groups and Reardon said that even though he’s no longer representing Australia in green and gold, he’s still representing Australians with a disability to promote equal opportunity. However, lately they’ve had an extra passenger on their work trips.
“At one presentation we did, when Matteo was three weeks old, I presented with him on my chest,” Reardon said.
“Normally when Vanessa and I present we bounce off each other, but at the moment we take turns. If Matteo cracks it, we can pass him from one to the other.”
Sounds functional, but they might have to reassess as Matteo grows.
“I think he’s going to be an adrenaline junkie,” Reardon said. “He’s so strong already. Since his first week he’s been able to lift his head off my chest by four or five centimetres. He’s rolling around already and he loves big fast movements.
“I joke with Vanessa that I wouldn’t be surprised if he came to us in the not too distant future and said ‘Mum, Dad, I want to jump out of a plane’. He just loves being moved all the time. It’s cool but it’s a lot of work.”
It may be Father’s Day, but Reardon is quick to compliment the way his wife has transitioned into motherhood.
“Every mother will tell you the same about a newborn – one day they’re wonderful and the next can be extremely challenging. That’s parenthood and motherhood in particular. You think you’ve worked out a routine and then the next day he’s like ‘Yeah, I’m not doing any of that’.
“Vanessa’s doing well, but it is difficult. When you’ve got no legs something as simple as ‘I need to stand up and walk away’ and you’ve got him in your arms and you don’t have your legs on – it’s a difficult position to be in. She’s doing an awesome job. The way he interacts with Vanessa is pretty special to watch.”
By: David Sygall, Paralympics Australia
Posted: 2 September 2022
