Snowboard exponent Amanda Reid is a diversely talented and supremely determined Paralympian.
As a youngster she was on a swimming trajectory, selected to the Australian Paralympic Team for London 2012 to compete in the 100 metres breaststroke.
In 2015, Amanda found an old cycling jersey she had worn as a nine-year-old tucked away under the house and thought to herself, ‘Why not give it another go?’ It was a good decision as, over the best part of the next decade, Amanda became the best in the world in her pet event, the 500 metres time trial. After making her Australian debut at the 2016 Para-Cycling Track World Championships and winning a silver medal in the 500 metres time trial at the Rio 2016 Paralympics, Amanda won consecutive Paralympic crowns at Tokyo 2020 and Paris 2024, as well as several world championships along the way.
As she was taking the cycling world by storm, Amanda started experiencing a growing love for snow sports. A friend had invited her on a skiing trip after the 2016 Paralympics and, even though she didn’t know how to ski at the time, she enjoyed the snow environment so much she decided to stick with it.
It soon became apparent that, as Amanda said, “skiing and my cerebral palsy didn’t mix well”, so she took up a suggestion in 2018 to try snowboarding, which she continued on and off around her cycling commitments.
With her skills rapidly increasing, in the 2022/2023 northern season, Amanda started racing internationally, competing in Europa Cups, World Cups and the World Championships at La Molina, where she won gold in the snowboard cross.
After defending her cycling crown at Paris 2024, Amanda returned to snowboarding, however her season ended early after a fall resulted in injuries to her shoulder and hip.
Despite the setback, anyone who knows Amanda knows not to write her off. With Catherine Freeman as her hero and role model and a passion for mentoring Indigenous youngsters, Amanda described being a Paralympian as: “… representing something bigger than myself. It’s an incredible honour to wear the green and gold for Australia and to stand on the start line knowing I’m part of a legacy of resilience, pride and excellence.
“I also take great pride in wearing the Indigenous design on the Australian Paralympic Team uniform, as it represents identity, strength and connection to culture. Every time I put on that uniform, I’m reminded of where I’ve come from, who I represent and the responsibility I carry to inspire others to chase their own version of success.”
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