How Aussie Paralympic great inspired Madi de Rozario to have a go
In a NewsLocal series tracking athletes on the road to the 2020 Tokyo Olympics and Paralympics, we meet a woman “who never knew what she wanted to be’’ until she met an Australian great.
Northern District Times
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Growing up Madison de Rozario never knew what she wanted to be when she was older.
Hadn’t a clue what path her life would take or what would fulfil her in the future.
Then along came Louise Sauvage, the wheelchair athlete who turned the sport on its head with her passion, drive and success.
And suddenly things changed for the young girl growing up in Perth who had developed a rare auto-immune disease when she was four which caused paralysis.
“I never knew what I wanted to be because I never saw someone like me doing anything so I didn’t have the options my sisters did,” de Rozario said.
“The first person I really knew about was Louise.
“I was 10 or 11 when I first knew who she was, this strong woman with a disability.
“After that I made my first (Paralympic) team at 15 and I was then surrounded by amazing people.
“But Louise was my first role model.
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“We both look back now and forget how ridiculously good she was and how much she has done.”
Now based in Sydney for four years at Sydney Olympic Park, de Rozario is a full-time athlete and coached by Ryde’s Sauvage.
The pair are also heading to Dubai for the world Paralympic athletics championships from November 15 where she will race the 800m, 1500m and 5000m events.
“There is a fair bit of pressure,” de Rozario admitted.
“But I am in the best shape I have been in. Lou and I have worked a lot on consistency.”
Australian will field a team of 14 female and 23 male athletes in Dubai including three gold medallists from the Rio Paralympics – Brayden Davidson (long jump T36), Scott Reardon (100m T42/63) and James Turner (800m T36).
Also included in the gold and green squad are 23 members who competed at the 2017 Worlds in London while eight will make their world championship debut.
De Rozario won the 5000m T54 two years ago and two gold medals at the Commonwealth Games last year.
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