Madison
de Rozario

Madison de Rozario’s Paralympic odyssey started when, aged 14, she was the youngest member of the Australian Paralympic Team for Beijing 2008.  

Over more than a decade and a half since, she has become one of the nation’s most admired athletes: a gold medal winning Paralympian, winner of the New York and London marathons, a fierce advocate for people with a disability – and she was even immortalised as a Barbie doll. 

As a child growing up in Perth, Madison had been encouraged in wheelchair racing by Australian Paralympic Hall of Fame inductee Frank Ponta. She later began working under coach Louise Sauvage, herself a legendary wheelchair racer and winner of nine Paralympic gold medals between 1992 and 2000.  

By 2015 Madison was a world champion in the 800m T53 and won silver in that event at Rio 2016. World and Commonwealth Games titles followed, as did world records in the 1500m T53/54 and 800m T53. 

At Tokyo 2020, her fourth Paralympics, Madison finally broke through to win her first Paralympic gold medal. In fact, she won two, capturing the 800m T53 on the track and then a stunning win in the marathon T54 on the final day of the Games. 

After the Tokyo Games, Madison was named Paralympics Australia’s Athlete of the Year. At Paris 2024, she won silver in the marathon and bronze in the 5000m. Earlier, she had shared the honour of Opening Ceremony flag bearer with swimmer Brenden Hall, who also made his Paralympic debut in 2008.  

Show less