Telaya Blacksmith

After becoming Australia’s 16th known Indigenous Paralympian when she competed at the Paris Paralympic Games, Warlpiri teenager Telaya Blacksmith said she hoped other Indigenous youngsters would take inspiration from her achievements.

Telaya describes herself as “A fast, friendly girl from the NT ready to show the world what I’ve got.” Prophetically, she did just that at Paris 2024.

Telaya broke the Oceania record in the 400 metres T20 and finished ninth in the long jump T20 setting the Australian U20 record. T20 is a classification for athletes with an intellectual impairment. It was the culmination of sustained hard work that defied the odds of her heritage, impairment and the tyranny of distance.

Telaya is from the remote communities of Lajamanu in the Northern Territory and Yiyili in Western Australia. Her determination to seek excellence saw her propel through the junior athletics ranks and into international competition, culminating in her selection to the Australian Paralympic Team for Paris.

“Coming from remote NT and WA and being able to compete all around the world is something I’m really proud of,” she said.

“It shows young First Nations kids, especially those from remote communities, that no matter where you come from, you can achieve your goals and chase opportunities on the world stage.”

Despite her youth, Telaya has a strong appreciation for the broad impact her rise is having across the country.

“Representing Australia as a First Nations athlete means I carry my community and culture with me everywhere I go,” she said.

“I hope that by competing internationally, I can inspire younger kids to stay proud of who they are, work hard and believe that anything is possible.”

Telaya is just getting started. Spurred on by her idols Olympic 400 metres gold medallist Cathy Freeman, Olympian-turned politician and advocate Nova Peris and AFLW player Steph Williams, she holds Australian open records in the 100m, 200m and 400m.

She is also a promising AFLW player with her local team the Southern Power. When her sporting career is over, she said, she would like to work as a coach in Northern Territory schools, teaching students about healthy living.

“At such a young age, I now feel like I can achieve anything if I work hard,” Telaya said. “It’s not impossible.”