Eliza Ault-Connell

Eliza Ault-Connell made her Paralympic return at the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games, 16 years after she last represented Australia as a member of the Athens 2004 Paralympic Team – the longest stretch between Games in Australian history.

She put her Para-athletics career on hold in 2008 to start a family with Australian Paralympic gold medallist Kieran Ault-Connell, and 10 years and three children later, she was ready to resurrect it.

It did not take long for Eliza’s muscle memory to kick into gear, and within months she had achieved selection to the Australian team for the 2018 Commonwealth Games on the Gold Coast, QLD.

In her first appearance at a Commonwealth Games since 2006, Eliza contested two events – the women’s 1500m T54 and women’s marathon T54 – and won a silver medal in the marathon. Having crossed the line just 13 seconds behind the gold medallist, Australian superstar Madison de Rozario, it was clear that Eliza was back and she was here to stay.

Since making her international debut in 2002, Eliza has won three World Championships medals, three Commonwealth Games medals, and placed second in a demonstration event at the Athens 2004 Olympic Games.

At her second Paralympics at Tokyo 2020, she contested in three different T54 events. In the 100m T54 event, she finished in eighth place with a time of 17.12. In the 400m T54 event, she finished in 7^th in 56.54. In the women’s marathon, she finished in 13^th with a time of 1:52.26.

Photo credit: Kevin Salmon