Australia at the 2004 Summer Paralympics

• Swimmer Matthew Cowdrey at age 15, was the youngest member of the Australian Paralympic Team, and at his first Paralympic Games he won three gold, two silver and two bronze medals, and finished the meet with two World & Paralympic Record times. His amazing achievements were recognised and he received the Medal of the Order of Australia, were named Young Paralympian of the Year at the Australian Paralympian of the Year Awards and Swimmer of the Year with a Disability by Swimming Australia.[6]
• Swimmer Chantel Wolfenden, also in her first ever Paralympic Games, won gold, silver and four bronze during the games while also setting a new personal record in the 400m Freestyle. For her great accomplishments she received the Medal of the Order of Australia[7]
• Prue Watt, another first time Paralympian swimmer, established herself as one of the most successful Australian athletes during the 2004 Games, winning five silver medals and one bronze medal. To honor her accomplishments she was awarded the 2004 Female Junior Paralympian of the Year for her achievements[8]
• Tim Sullivan won four gold medals in athletics sprints events, three of which were individual and two of which involved new world records. To celebrate his amazing achievements, he was named Australian Paralympian of the Year by the Australian Paralympic Committee [APC], and won the Victorian Institute of Sport's [VIS] Athlete with a Disability Award[9]
• Ben Austin won four individual medals as a swimmer, one gold, two silver and one bronze. He was also part of the 4 × 100 m Freestyle Relay team and 4 × 100 m Medley Relay where they won silver and gold[10] In the 100m freestyle he became one of the first ever swimmers in the S8 category to break the one minute barrier. For his accomplishments at the 2004 Games he received the Medal of the Order of Australia[11]
• Cyclist Lindy Hou qualified for her first Paralympic Games in 2004 with pilots Janelle Lindsay and Toireasa Gallagher. The Games became a huge success and she won a total of four medals, one gold, two silver and one bronze. She and Janelle Lindsey also became the first Australian female athletes to win gold during the 2004 Paralympic games. They also set the world record in the Women's 200m Fly with the time 11.675 seconds.[12] Her accomplishments were celebrated with the Medal of the Order of Australia[13]
• Heath Francis won two individual silver medals and one bronze medal. He was also part of the Men's 4 × 400 m T42-T46 relay team and Men's 4 × 100 m T42-T46 where they won silver and bronze.[14]

Some of the other outstanding Australian athletes included:

• Six athletes won three medals - Don Elgin, Neil Fuller, Kurt Fearnley and Darren Thrupp in athletics and Kieran Modra and Christopher Scott in cycling.[4]

The 2004 Summer Paralympics, formally known as Games of the XXVIII Olympiad, was held from September 17 to September 28. The twelfth Paralympic Games, a total of 3,808 competitors (2,643 Men and 1,165 Women) from 135 countries participated. During these games 304 World Records were broken with 448 Paralympic Games Records being broken across 19 different sports. Addition of judo and sitting volleyball for women and football 5-a-side for men were included. The ticket sale for event saw a decrease in tickets sold, with about 850.000 tickets for the different competitions compared to 1.2 million sold at the 2000 Sydney games.[15] The event was made possible through the help of 8,863 volunteers[16] [17]

From the Paralympics opening ceremony

Louise Sauvage, a nine-time Paralympic gold medalist, lit the cauldron during the opening ceremonies for the 2000 Summer Paralympics in Sydney. On September 17, 2004, Sauvage carried the Australian flag into the opening ceremony stadium, "Spyridon Louis", at what was her 4th Paralympic games. She has a Sydney ferry, a street and a pathway named after her, as well as numerous school sport houses around Australia.[18] After the parade of nations, the Games were declared opened by IPC President Sir Philip Craven and Greek president Cistis Stephanopoulos, before the Paralympic flame was lit by Georgios Toptsis. The opening ceremony was seen by 72,000 spectators in the stadium[19]

Swimmer Matthew Cowdrey, recognized for his achievements during the games, was chosen to carry the Australia flag at the Closing Ceremony of the Games. The closing ceremony during the 2004 games was cut short and only entailed the protocol segments required to complete the Games, due to a tragic accident involving the deaths of seven high school students on their way to the Games. One minute of silence in tribute to the school students were held as the Paralympic flag flew half-mast. Australian gold medalist, Katrina Webb, who were critical of the Paralympic Organizers who removed the party element of the closing ceremony and thus leaving only the athletes' entry, the Paralympic President Phil Craven's speech and the handover of the flag to Beijing, said "Things like this happen, you can't stop everything. Life goes on. We should make sure we pay our respects in that regard but things should continue as they were."[20][21]

The closing ceremony ended with the unveiling of the IPC's new logo[22]

The 2000 Summer Paralympics in Sydney had the most comprehensive media coverage; and highest TV ratings ever experienced by a Paralympic Games for its time laying down the solid foundations for media surround the 2004 Summer Paralympics in Australia. The Athens Paralympics saw record media attendance with a total of 3,103 media representatives, including more than 66 broadcasters. The Paralympics were shown in 49 countries in addition to being broadcast worldwide via Eurosport and Reuters. A study of the broadcast coverage revealed approximately 1.86 billion viewers in total, distributed on 617 hours of coverage.[23] The increase in media attendance is thought be attributed to the introduction of 5-a-side Football.[24] The development in media attendance and coverage confirms that the media's interest in the Paralympis Games Since the Sydney 2000 Paralympics has grown.

There were 518 Medal events at the games. Australia brought home 101 medals, including a record 26 gold medals. The 2004 Paralympic Games in Athens were a precursor to the 2008 Summer Paralympics in Beijing. China dominated the medal count with more goal medals, more silver medals and more medals overall than any other nation. Australia had the second highest medal tally overall, which were 16% higher than it was in 1984.[25]

Medal Name Sport Event  Gold Tim Sullivan Athletics Men's 100 m T38  Gold Tim Sullivan Athletics Men's 200 m T38  Gold Tim Sullivan Athletics Men's 400 m T38  Gold Richard Colman Athletics Men's 800 m T53  Gold Kurt Fearnley Athletics Men's 5000 m T54  Gold Kurt Fearnley Athletics Men's Marathon T54  Gold Tim Sullivan, Benjamin Hall, Darren Thrupp, Paul Benz Athletics Men's 4 × 100 m relay T35-T38  Gold Amy Winters Athletics Women's 100 m T46  Gold Amy Winters Athletics Women's 200 m T46  Gold Katrina Webb Athletics Women's 400 m T38  Gold Christopher Scott Cycling Men's bicycle road race/time trial CP4  Gold Christopher Scott Cycling Men's bicycle 3 km individual pursuit CP4  Gold Mark le Flohic Cycling Men's tricycle road race CP 1/2  Gold Greg Ball Cycling Men's bicycle 1 km time trial LC 1-4  Gold Anthony Biddle, Kial Stewart Cycling Men's tandem 1 km time trial B1-3  Gold Peter Brooks Cycling Men's bicycle 4 km individual pursuit LC1  Gold Kieran Modra, Robert Crowe Cycling Men's tandem 4 km individual pursuit B1-3  Gold Kieran Modra, David Short Cycling Men's tandem sprint B1-3  Gold Greg Ball, Peter Brooks, Christopher Scott Cycling Men's bicycle team sprint LC 1-4&CP 3/4  Gold Lindy Hou, Janelle Lindsay Cycling Women's tandem sprint B 1-3  Gold Ben Austin Swimming Men's 100 m freestyle S8  Gold Matthew Cowdrey Swimming Men's 100 m freestyle S9  Gold Matthew Cowdrey Swimming Men's 200 m individual medley SM9  Gold Rod Welsh, Daniel Bell, Ben Austin, Alex Harris Swimming Men's 4 × 100 m medley relay 34 pts  Gold Chantel Wolfenden Swimming Women's 400 m freestyle S7  Gold Sarah Bowen Swimming Women's 100 m breaststroke SB6  Silver Heath Francis Athletics Men's 100 m T46  Silver Heath Francis Athletics Men's 400 m T46  Silver Neil Fuller Athletics Men's 400 m T44  Silver Roy Daniell Athletics Men's Marathon T13  Silver Richard Colman, Richard Nicholson, Kurt Fearnley, Geoff Trappett Athletics Men's 4 × 100 m relay T53/T54  Silver Neil Fuller, Don Elgin, Heath Francis, Stephen Wilson Athletics Men's 4 × 400 m relay T42-T46  Silver Hamish MacDonald Athletics Men's Shot put F33/34  Silver Kieran Ault-Connell Athletics Men's Javelin throw F37  Silver Lisa McIntosh Athletics Women's 200 m T37  Silver Louise Sauvage Athletics Women's 400 m T54  Silver Amanda Fraser Athletics Women's Discus throw F37  Silver Peter Homann Cycling Men's bicycle road race/time trial CP4  Silver Mark le Flohic Cycling Men's tricycle time trial CP1/2  Silver Claire McLean Cycling Women's bicycle time trial LC 1-4&CP 3/4  Silver Lindy Hou, Toireasa Ryan Cycling Women's tandem road race/time trial B1-3  Silver Andrew Panazzolo Cycling Men's bicycle 1 km time trial CP3/4  Silver Peter Homann Cycling Men's bicycle 3 km individual pursuit CP4  Silver Lindy Hou, Toireasa Ryan Cycling Women's tandem 3 km individual pursuit B1-3  Silver Jan Pike on Dr Doolittle Equestrian Individual championship dressage GI  Silver Darren Gardiner Powerlifting Men's +100 kg  Silver Ashley Adams Shooting Mixed free rifle prone SH1  Silver Ben Austin Swimming Men's 100 m butterfly S8  Silver Matthew Cowdrey Swimming Men's 100 m butterfly S8  Silver Daniel Bell Swimming Men's 100 m butterfly S10  Silver Daniel Bell Swimming Men's 100 m breaststroke SB9  Silver Ben Austin Swimming Men's 200 m individual medley SM8  Silver Rod Welsh Swimming Men's 200 m individual medley SM10  Silver Rod Welsh Ben Austin, Alex Harris, Matthew Cowdrey Swimming Men's 4 × 100 m freestyle relay 34 pts  Silver Prue Watt Swimming Women's 50 m freestyle S13  Silver Chantel Wolfenden Swimming Women's 100 m freestyle S7  Silver Prue Watt Swimming Women's 100 m freestyle S13  Silver Lichelle Clarke Swimming Women's 400 m freestyle S8  Silver Prue Watt Swimming Women's 400 m freestyle S13  Silver Prue Watt Swimming Women's 100 m butterfly S13  Silver Prue Watt Swimming Women's 200 m individual medley SM13  Silver Australia men's national wheelchair basketball team Brendan Dowler Justin Eveson Andrew Flavel Adrian King Tristan Knowles Campbell Message Grant Mizens Brad Ness Shaun Norris Troy Sachs David Selby Daryl Taylor Wheelchair Basketball Men's tournament  Silver Australia women's national wheelchair basketball team Lisa Chaffey Shelley Chaplin Paula Coghlan Melanie Domaschenz Karen Farrell Kylie Gauci Tina McKenzie Alison Mosely Jane Sachs Sarah Stewart Liesl Tesch Melinda Young Wheelchair Basketball Women's tournament  Silver David Hall Wheelchair tennis Men's singles  Bronze Darren Thrupp Athletics Men's 100 m T37  Bronze Heath Francis Athletics Men's 200 m T46  Bronze Don Elgin, Neil Fuller, Stephen Wilson, Heath Francis Athletics Men's 4 × 100 m relay T42-T46  Bronze Darren Thrupp Athletics Men's Long jump F36-38  Bronze Russell Short Athletics Men's Shot put F13  Bronze Nicholas Larionow Athletics Men's Shot put F36  Bronze Don Elgin Athletics Men's Pentathlon P44  Bronze Lisa McIntosh Athletics Women's 100 m T37  Bronze Angie Ballard Athletics Women's 100 m T53  Bronze Jodi Willis Athletics Women's Shot Put F12  Bronze Peter Brooks Cycling Men's bicycle road race/time trial LC1  Bronze Kieran Modra, Robert Crowe Cycling Men's tandem road race/time trial B1-3  Bronze Kelly McCombie, Janet Shaw Cycling Women's tandem road race/time trial B1-3  Bronze Andrew Panazzolo Cycling Men's bicycle 3 km individual pursuit CP3  Bronze Anthony Biddle, Kial Stewart Cycling Men's tandem sprint B1-3  Bronze Lindy Hou, Janelle Lindsay Cycling Women's tandem 1 km time trial B1-3  Bronze Kelly McCombie, Janet Shaw Cycling Women's tandem 3 km individual pursuit B1-3  Bronze Jan Pike on Dr Doolittle Equestrian Individual freestyle dressage GI  Bronze Ashley Adams Shooting Men's air rifle standing SH1  Bronze Ben Austin Swimming Men's 50 m freestyle S8  Bronze Matthew Cowdrey Swimming Men's 50 m freestyle S9  Bronze Ricardo Moffatti Swimming Men's 100 m freestyle S8  Bronze Matthew Cowdrey Swimming Men's 400 m freestyle S9  Bronze Rod Welsh Swimming Men's 100 m backstroke S10  Bronze Sarah Rose Swimming Women's 50 m butterfly S6  Bronze Kate Bailey Swimming Women's 100 m butterfly S9  Bronze Marayke Jonkers Swimming Women's 50 m breaststroke SB3  Bronze Marayke Jonkers Swimming Women's 150 m individual medley SM4  Bronze Prue Watt Swimming Women's 100 m breaststroke SB13  Bronze Chantel Wolfenden Swimming Women's 100 m backstroke S7  Bronze Chantel Wolfenden Swimming Women's 200 m individual medley SM7  Bronze Mandy Drennan, Chantel Wolfenden, Lichelle Clarke, Kat Lewis Swimming Women's 4 × 100 m freestyle relay 34 pts  Bronze Hannah MacDougall, Brooke Stockham, Kate Bailey, Chantel Wolfenden Swimming Women's 4 × 100 m medley relay 34 pts  Bronze Sam Bramham Swimming Men's 100 m butterfly S9  Bronze David Hall, Anthony Bonaccurso Wheelchair tennis Men's doubles  Bronze Daniela Di Toro Wheelchair tennis Women's singles

Medals by discipline Discipline Total Archery 0 0 0 0 Athletics 10 12 10 32 Wheelchair basketball 0 2 0 2 Boccia 0 0 0 0 Cycling 10 7 7 24 Equestrian 0 1 1 2 Judo 0 0 0 0 Powerlifting 0 1 0 1 Wheelchair rugby 0 0 0 0 Sailing 0 0 0 0 Shooting 0 1 1 2 Swimming 6 14 15 35 Wheelchair tennis 0 1 2 3 Total 26 39 36 101

[26]

Headquarters staff - Paul Bird (Chef de Mission), Ken Brown (Assistant Chef de Mission), Nick Dean (Assistant Chef de Mission), Doug Denby (Assistant Chef de Mission), Jason Hellwig (Director of Operations), Natalie Jenkins (Sports Administration Officer), Jacqui Knife (Sports Administration Officer), Richard Mathews (Attache), Stephen Mathews (Manager Security), Tony Naar (Manager Sport), Graeme Watts
Sports Medicine and Sports Science - Syd Bourke (Director Medical), John Camens, Lily Chiu, Liz Cloughessy (Medical Coordinator), Kieran Cusack, Maria Di Michele, Mick Jordan, David Lee, Murray Lydeamore (Welfare Coordinator), Mark MacDonald, Ingrid McKay, Claire Nichols, David Spurrier, Greg Ungerer, Luke Vladich
Media - Graham Cassidy, Katie Hodge, Margaret McDonald, David Lutteral[3][26]

• Australia at the Paralympics
• Australia at the 2004 Summer Olympics

• Australian Paralympic Committee Media Guide Athens 2004
• Australian Paralympic Committee Annual Report 2003-2004- reports from the Australian team.
• International Paralympic Committee Historical Results Database - detailed listing of results