Para-sport equipment fund gets youngster Josh Brass rolling in the right direction

Role models like three-time Paralympic gold medallist Kurt Fearnley can really get things rolling. Just ask Josh Brass, who has plenty of road to cover to match his idol, but now he has wheels to do it.

Budding paralympian Josh Brass has been on a roll towards international gold medals ever since a 5km wheelchair race for fun with the great Kurt Fearnley at the Gold Coast Commonwealth Games two years ago.

At just 10, the Year 5 schoolboy from Windaroo, south of Brisbane, has been ear-marked as a kid going places fast and says his dream is to emulate Fearnley as a Paralympic gold medallist.

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Paralympics Australia is sending him a new $7000 racing wheelchair from its Para-sport Equipment Fund.

Josh has been burning up the bitumen for the last four years in borrowed equipment, but now has the chance to accelerate his goals into top gear.

“Kurt Fearnley and I have become great friends,’’ Josh says. “He’s a cool guy and I hope one day to win the big races too.’’

Like Fearnley, a three-time Paralympic gold medallist who also won the wheelchair marathon gold medal at the Gold Coast Commonwealth Games, Josh was born with sacral agenesis, a spinal disorder.

Kurt Fearnley with Joshua Brass have built up a strong relationship.

He came into the world with one kidney, no tailbone and no kneecaps but that hasn’t slowed his momentum.

“Josh started in wheelchair track events when he was six,’’ says proud mum Abbi.

“Because the racing chairs are quite expensive, he started out by borrowing another track athlete’s chair.

“It didn’t really suit because it had footpads out the front even though he can’t bend his legs. He’s outgrown it anyway, and he can’t wait to test out the new chair.

“He’s a bundle of energy but I’ve told him he can’t race the chair in the house.’’

Josh’s competitiveness was on show at the Summer Down Under wheelchair race in Sydney on Australia Day.

The event’s patron, nine-times Paralympic gold medallist Louise Sauvage, took Josh and Abbi aside after the event and said they would be funded for the new hot wheels.

Josh greeted the news with a fist pump. And a golden glint in his eye.

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Originally published as Para-sport equipment fund gets youngster Josh Brass rolling in the right direction