Australian Paralympic flag-bearer Madison de Rozario reveals personal tragedy

Australia’s Paralympic flag-bearer nearly withdrew from this year’s Games after learning of a devastating death in her family.

Madison de Rozario, one of Australia’s flag-bearers at the 2024 Paralympic Games, has revealed she was given some tragic news right after her starring role in the Opening Ceremony in Paris.

The 30-year-old, who is competing at her fifth Paralympic Games, claimed silver and bronze medals in Paris to add to her outstanding collection.

But the West Australian came close to abandoning her Paris campaign and returning home after learning her father Dan had died in the hours after she had carried the Aussie flag down the Champs Elysees.

De Rozario’s mother Renee, who was in Paris, told her of the news after the Opening Ceremony.

Australian Paralympic flag-bearer Madison de Rozario. Photos: News Corp/Getty Images

“When you first get news like that the option is there to go home and it feels like the correct thing to do,” de Rozario told reporters on Sunday.

“I feel so lucky that as I was having that thought, the first thing my family said to me was, ‘don’t come home’. There was a very clear instruction to get this done.

“Turns out, I’d rather be in a Paralympic Village with 160 of my best friends.

“I think, for a bunch of people who had no idea the week that I was having, they were the people I wanted to be around.”

De Rozario was speaking after claiming silver in the T54 marathon on Sunday, one of the final events of the Games.

De Rozario and Brenden Hall carry the Australian flag at this year’s Opening Ceremony. (Photo by David Ramos/Getty Images)

The silver was added to the earlier bronze she won in the 5000m, growing a collection that includes two gold medals, three silver medals and another bronze across the 2008, 2016 and 2020 Paralympics.

The only Games de Rozario failed to medal in came in London in 2012.

De Rozario largely kept her composure and focused on her events despite the horrible news before her competitions got underway.

But she did share an emotional moment with her coach, fellow Paralympic great Louise Sauvage, prior to her heats in the 5000m.

“Lou and I always hug before I race,” de Rozario said. “I just burst into tears on Louise.

“Our poor mechanic was like, ‘She’s not normally this stressed, it’s just a f***ing heat; why is she so worried about this?’”

De Rozario (right) added to her huge medal haul with bronze in the T54 5000m. (Photo by Tasos Katopodis/Getty Images)

De Rozario added she had endured a “complicated relationship” with her father, who was born in Singapore, and was looking forward to getting home to catch up with her sisters, Michelle and Stephanie.

“I’m like a lot of young women, where we have complicated relationships with our dad,” de Rozario said.

“But I think the person that I am, I do credit a lot to him. We were homeschooled for a lot of years and he homeschooled us.

“I think as I’ve gotten older some of the parts I’m really proud of are a credit to him.”

Originally published as Australian Paralympic flag-bearer Madison de Rozario reveals personal tragedy