Seated thrower with autism and cerebral palsy, Maria Strong looks to Tokyo 2020 Paralympics
THIS Brunswick West athlete is stronger in more ways than one. Despite battling autism and cerebral palsy, Maria Strong is throwing her way to glory and has her sights set on the Tokyo 2020 Paralympics.
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SEATED thrower Maria Strong only took up her sport two years ago but is now eyeing a shot at the Paralympics.
The Brunswick West athlete was announced as the Masters Sportsperson of the Year at the Victorian Disability Sport and Recreation Awards this month.
In February she won gold at the national athletics championships in seated shot put, shattering an Australian record in the process.
Strong has autism and cerebral palsy and after spending most of her childhood in the pool swimming, she discovered seated throwing and took up the sport in 2016.
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Disability Sport and Recreation chief executive Richard Amon said the awards recognised commitment and dedication, as well as those who created an inclusive space.
Strong is focused on qualifying for a berth at the Tokyo Paralympics in 2020.
Competitors in the sport sit on a metal box, rolled up to the same foul line able bodied throwers use.
“We sit on a custom made throwing frame … we have to be physically strapped on to the seat because it is a foul to lift your bottom off the seat. We are clearly not going to walk out the front of the circle because we are strapped onto the metal frame,” she said.
Alongside her competition results, the 47-year-old was awarded the 2017 Arthur Whitchell Award for best club person at Athletics Essendon earlier this year and club secretary John Cooper said the star could be defined by three words.
“Dedication, hard work and commitment — they are the keys for her,” Mr Cooper said.
“She’s just gone onto the club’s committee, she does team managing and volunteering … as a bit of an indication to her values, anytime we say we need help with this or that, she puts her hand up.”
While Strong continues to make the long commute out to Casey for training and to Essendon for competition, she also wants to help those take the path to top competition, which she missed out on as a child.
Strong takes part in a schools program teaching children about athletics and is particularly quick to help out with technique when she spots a young thrower struggling while she is officiating.
“I found out disability sport was a thing when I was in my 20s, now there are a lot of opportunities that didn’t exist when I was younger,” she said.
“There are events for athletes with a disability and there are all these pathways that first of all didn’t even exist so if I can be there so the athletes with disabilities within schools know, that is good.”
Strong is a Leader Sports Star nominee. The awards are supported by Sportsmart and Gold 104.3.
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