2022 Commonwealth Games: South Australia local Amanda Tscharke completes epic journey to make her debut

A future in sport was put in doubt after a horrific accident at just 15, but this local hero will remarkably make her Commonwealth Games debut next week at the age of 40.

At the age of 15, local sporting hero Amanda Tscharke’s career was dealt a catastrophic blow.

Now – 25 years on and at the age of 40 – the Nuriootpa para-table tennis marvel will make her Commonwealth Games debut.

A top SA talent in long jump and triple jump out of Kapunda High School, Tscharke was travelling in a motorcycle sidecar at Crystal Brook in 1997 when she hit a tree head-on.

The accident gave Tscharke a dislocated spine and left her a T7 paraplegic (movement of arms and upper body), changing her life forever.

“It was a horrific change of life,” Tscharke said.

“At first it was tough to come to terms with but I think when trauma happens in your life you either dwell on it or you accept it as part of your journey.”

Tscharke in action for Australia. She will make her Commonwealth Games debut next week after seven years in table tennis. Picture: Table Tennis Australia

After over a year of recovery and rehab in hospital, Tscharke returned to school and in the years following completed her education, found work and started a family, marrying husband Tony and having daughters Katie and Ella.

In 2013 she was approached by Cathy Lambert, a member of the Australian Paralympic Committee and former Kapunda high school counsellor, to reconsider a career in athletics.

Tscharke took up the offer and became a specialist in seated javelin, breaking the national record within just a few months.

“After my injury I decided I wanted to just focus on education, getting a job, having a family, just living life, but I’d always been sporty so when there was an opportunity to get back into athletics in a safe environment I took it,” Tscharke said.

Then javelin champion Amanda Tscharke in 2014 at Gibson Wines near Nuriootpa for the International Day of Disability. Picture: Calum Robertson

“It became so taxing eventually though, so I moved on to table tennis in 2015.”

Tscharke started at the Barossa Association Table Tennis Club and quickly took to the sport, eventually moving to Woodville Table Tennis Club under coach David Lowe and then state coach Paton Wilson.

A skilful player who controls her chair with her left hand and uses the bat with her right, Tscharke made her way into team SA before also representing Australia, winning silver in Oceania titles and taking out the teams event of the 2019 Arafura Games in Darwin with Danni Di Toro.

After continued strong form, she was picked for Birmingham this year by Table Tennis Australia.

“It’s a very fast game and it takes time to learn but the family and supportive environment at my clubs, in team SA and with team Australia really helped me,” Tscharke said.

Tscharke in 2016 with Katy Parrish, a former Paralympian and member of the Australian Paralympic Committee. Picture: Sarah Reed

“It’s incredibly surreal to now be going to the Games – all the training and late nights, pressure on family, pressure on friends, it’s all worth it.”

While Tscharke is thrilled with her achievement and excited to be competing in Birmingham, she said it was hard to ignore the hardships she had experienced on the way.

“I think everyone likes to glorify the finished product – getting to the Comm Games, getting to the Paralympics – but they forget the process,” she said.

“I’ve been through a lot, I’ve had scoliosis, hip replacements, countless operations and 33 general anaesthetics since the accident, but nothing comes easy when you’re disabled – sometimes it’s hard to just get out of bed – but you have to accept it as part of the journey.

“I’m here now and I want to play my best, win as much as I can and come away with a medal.”

Commonwealth Games Para-table tennis will begin on August 3.