Darwin product Tom O’Neill-Thorne selected in Australian Rollers’ squad for 2020 Tokyo Paralympics

Another product of Darwin will head to Tokyo, determined to have a podium finish.

DARWIN product Tom O’Neill-Thorne has been included in the Australian Rollers’ 12-man squad which is determined to return to the Paralympic podium in Tokyo after a disappointing performance at Rio in 2016.

Darwin product Tom O’Neill-Thorne has been named in the Australian wheelchair basketball team. Picture: Che Chorley

The Rollers’ squad will be led by several long-time servants of the game, as Shaun Norris and Tristan Knowles prepare for their fifth Paralympic Games, while Brett Stibners has been selected for his fourth.

Selectors have also granted a number of fresh faces and captain Norris is excited to see how the youth will complement the well experienced.

“We’ve got some fairly new guys, like Tom O’Neill-Thorne and Kim Robins. We’ve got Jeremy Tyndall coming in, who gives us something new,” he said, with the Paralympics to be held from August 24 to September 5.

“All up, I think we have a wide array of experience mixed with some new guys who bring us some pretty big talent.

“Three years ago at the World Championships we finished third, which was a good result for us after what I would say was a pretty big rebuild. To have another three years of experience trying to tighten things up and identifying who we are as a team, I think puts us in good stead.”

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In the wake of the Covid outbreak in New South Wales, the Darwin Basketball Association came to the rescue and opened its doors, hosting the final training camp for both the men’s and women’s squads.

O’Neill-Thorne got his first taste of Paralympics action in Rio, and was delighted to train in Darwin with his fellow Rollers representatives.

“I’ve been trying to get the guys up here for a long while and it happened almost by accident. “But I’m excited for the group not only to train here but to get around the community,” he said last week.

“I’ve never felt this physically or mentally ready ahead of a game and being back here as preparations have been amazing. Everyone has loved being in Darwin.

“It’s been a stressful past week but finally being in Darwin was a relief for everyone.”

Territory products Tom O’Neill-Thorne and Clarence “CJ” McCarthy-Grogan have been part of an Australian Rollers camp in Darwin, with O’Neill-Thorne making the 12-man squad for the 2020 Tokyo Paralympics. Picture Glenn Campbell

O’Neill-Thorne’s 2019 Asia Oceania Championship fellow gold-medal winner and Territory product CJ McCarthy-Grogan was part of the Darwin training camp, but he missed out on the final 12-man cut for Tokyo.

While the Rollers have been rebuilding over the past five years, head coach Craig Friday declared that his sole focus for the group was achieving that Paralympic gold medal, which would be the first since the 2008 Beijing Olympics.

Australian team Chef de Mission Kate McLoughlin said the Rollers had done everything possible to put themselves in a strong position leading into the Games.

“Australia’s men’s wheelchair basketball side is one of our most successful teams in Paralympic competition, with two gold and two silver medals since 1996,” McLoughlin said.

“I know how disappointed the team was to miss the podium in Rio and I’m sure that will be another driving factor for them in this campaign.

“You only have to look at how hard they’ve worked individually and as a group to get ready for Tokyo to know that they are desperate to get back into fight for medals.”

Basketball Australia chief executive Matt Scriven acknowledged the admirable fight and spirit shown by the Rollers squad, particularly throughout the ongoing Covid pandemic.

“The new Covid normal has ensured that Tokyo 2020 will be one of the most open fields ever assembled,” he said.

“Tristan Knowles and Jeremy Tyndall are currently in Brisbane awaiting an NT exemption. “Brett Stibners and John McPhail are in lockdown in NSW.

“With these athletes unable to join the squad, head coach Craig Friday has eight squad members onsite working on final preparations in Darwin.

“Despite Covid throwing us multiple curveballs, excuses aren’t in our playbook – the games will go on and so will we.”

Australian Rollers squad for 2020 Paralympic Games in Tokyo: Jannik Blair, Samuel White, Matthew McShane, Jeremy Tyndall, John McPhail, Shaun Norris, Tom O’Neill-Thorne, Kim Robins, Michael Auprince, Tristan Knowles, Bill Latham, Brett Stibners.