Siren Sport Collaborator Mary Konstantopoulos speaks to para athlete Alexandra Viney about discovering para sports, her Tokyo 2020 experience and the power of visibility. Alexandra Viney. Image: Rowing Australia In 2010, at age 18, Alexandra Viney’s life changed instantly when she was in a high-speed car accident caused by a drunk driver. Viney survived the accident, but had lasting impairments to her left elbow, forearm and hand. Throughout her high school years, Viney had been a promising rower. But following her accident, Viney had no idea that continuing to play sport was an option, part ..read more

The Paralympics are filled with memorable moments—stories of records broken and medals won. We’ve dived into the history books and collected five such stories.   The Paralympics may have a slightly shorter history than the Olympics, but that history is still jam packed with incredible feats of strength and speed, and plenty of records broken and medals won.  With the Tokyo Paralympics starting today, we’ve taken a dive into the history books to learn a little more about some of the women who have worn—or are still wearing—the green and gold.   Melissa Tapper was the first ..read more

Sienna Nobile, one of Siren’s emerging sportswriters, catches up with Traralgon swimmer Ruby Storm who’s preparing for the Tokyo Paralympics. Ruby Storm in the pool: image supplied I met 17-year-old Australian swimmer Ruby Storm in my first year of high school in Traralgon (regional Victoria). Her family lived three houses down from mine and her older sister, Issie, and I were best friends. Ruby and Issie had swim training a lot while we were growing up. I’d often get messages from Issie when she woke for training, as early as 5am, and would hear the family’s car drive up the street as late ..read more

As with the Olympics each cycle, we are drawn into a world of sports we otherwise wouldn’t be exposed to when the Paralympics roll around. Lauren Parker’s ambition remained the same, just in a different category of sport after a life-altering cycling accident. Sourced: World Triathlon Para-triathlon This is a triathlon for athletes with either visual or physical impairments. They must race across a 750m swim, 20km cycle and 5km run. Many vision-impaired athletes compete with a guide—fellow triathletes—and essentially become a team for the games. Australian woman Katie Kelly is the reigning P ..read more

Siren Collaborator Mary Konstantopoulos speaks to Australian goalball winger Tyan Taylor about how she found the sport and what it means to compete in Tokyo. Tyan Taylor: Image Paralympics Australia The first time Tyan Taylor saw goalball being played was at the Sydney 2000 Paralympics. She thought it was the coolest thing she had ever seen. Taylor had grown up with ocular albinism and nystagmus which impacted her vision and goalball was the first time she had seen a sport which included people that looked just like her. Such was the impact on a young Taylor, that a couple of weeks later she ..read more

The Aussie Belles—Australia’s women’s goalball team—may be an unfunded team playing a minority sport but Blind Sports Australia’s inaugural ambassadors are Tokyo bound. The Aussie Belles, the national women’s goalball team, are ramping up their training in the lead up to Tokyo. Image: BSA When she’s on the goalball court, Raissa Martin feels strong. She feels ready to pounce on any ball that comes her way.  “That’s the best part of the game. Just that waiting for the ball and pouncing,” she says. “If you can’t tell, I love defensive aspects of the game.”  Raissa grew up dreaming of ..read more

From murderball to the basketball court, Robyn Lambird has always loved sport. Now they’re pushing for gold on the racing track at the Tokyo Paralympics. Robyn Lambird has their sights set firmly on the Tokyo Paralympics. Image: provided Robyn Lambird has been dreaming about the Paralympics since first taking to the racing track competitively back in 2016. Now, with team selection within reach, so too is a long held dream of a gold medal.  “I’ve pushed that A standard now a couple times,” the 24-year-old told Siren. “So I think I’ve proven that I’m sort of ready for selection. So it jus ..read more

Kasey Symons chats with Paralympian and Australian Glider Amber Merritt from hotel quarantine as COVID-19 continues to disrupt athlete’s preparations for the Tokyo Games. Photo: Basketball Australia/Gary Ramage As we keep working to adjust to sport with no fans, for some athletes, it might not make too much a difference.  “Honestly, my parents in London, they were amazing, but my mum missed half of the quarterfinal and semifinal into the gold medal game because she was so nervous. She actually stood off and she was in the bar chugging beers because she was just so nervous for us. I ran ..read more

Recently Netflix released a documentary focused on Paralympians and their stories. Rising Phoenix documents some powerful athletes and for Brielle Quigley, redefined the word superhero. I’ve never really understood the hype around superhero movies. While my friends rushed to see the latest highly anticipated Marvel film in a string of highly anticipated Marvel films, I quietly enjoyed my preferred genre of ‘mundane dramas’. The label is an affectionate one, but I am well aware of my affinity for television and film that focus more on the ‘human’ rather than the, well, superhuman. So when Ri ..read more