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Tahlia Clayton-Goodie is a mother-of-three, a wife and now an aspiring Paralympian, thanks to a Paralympics Australia initiative aimed at bridging the gap for regional athletes.
Clayton-Goodie is one of 55 athletes currently supported by Paralympics Australia through various Regional Academy initiatives across Victoria and NSW, with a similar program being delivered in Tasmania through the Tasmanian Institute of Sport.
The program, which began in 2021 with the Victorian Regional Academies of Sport (VRAS) network, aims to remove barriers to pathway progression and increase support for Para-athletes who live outside the major cities. This could include strength and conditioning support, access to nutritionists and sport psychologists, access to equipment and more.
The Paralympics Australia Pathways Team is also working with the Northern Territory Sports Academy to expand its ‘Futures’ program, and the team is exploring similar opportunities in other states and territories.
Clayton-Goodie began cycling at just four-years-old, stepping away from the sport briefly to study at university. After a mountain bike crash in 2011 left her with serious injuries, she thought her time racing was over.
She was placed in an induced coma and later diagnosed with hemiparesis, a condition causing muscle weakness, on the right side of her body. She endured months of rehabilitation, including learning to walk and talk again.
Fast forward 12 years and Clayton-Goodie was on a mission to regain her strength and independence, leading her to try Para-cycling.
“It was probably only a few years ago where I realised that I don’t have to do it the same as I did before. I can be a Para-athlete and that’s what started my recent journey,” she said.
“Para-cycling has given me an outlet. It’s given me something that’s just mine, from racing to training, it’s my time.
“Through that I’ve made so many new friendships and become a part of the PA community.”
A chance meeting with Paralympics Australia’s Pathways Lead Scott Nicholas opened a new world of opportunity for the Geelong-based athlete.
“To have increasing success at the Paralympics, we need to have a bigger team representing Australia at the Games and we need more athletes in the high performance system,” Nicholas said.
“We’ve got such a wide range of ages, gender, impairment and sports represented in the program, and we cover off quite a lot of regional NSW and Victoria, as well as parts of Tasmania and the NT. We’re already seeing the impacts of support early in the athlete’s pathway, helping their progression towards categorisation and further support through the National Institute Network.”
Paralympics Australia’s Pathways Specialist Sarah Skidmore said feedback from athletes involved in the program had been positive.
“Our goal is to address some of the barriers to progression in Para-sport pathways for pre-categorised and emerging and developing athletes who currently have little to no access to performance support,” she said.
“The greatest benefit…for the athletes is greater connection to and understanding of their sport’s pathway.”
The Pathways Team is looking to build on the early success of the program. In a recent collaboration with the Australian Institute of Sport, an existing athlete wellbeing program was modified to provide a more targeted educational experience for Para-athletes, called Para-Start Strong.
Candice Boggs, Executive Officer for the NSW Western Region Academy of Sport (RAS), said: “RAS is very excited to formalise this partnership with Paralympics Australia to assist in the identification of talented athletes within our catchment regions and help them achieve their goals of representing Australia at future Paralympic Games.
“Year one of this partnership has exceeded our expectations with an intake of 26 Para-athletes across 11 Para-sport pathways. We look forward to continuing this partnership with PA to support more athletes in future years.
For Clayton-Goodie, a series of standout performances at the Oceania Track Championships and World Championships last year have boosted her chances of reaching the Paralympics.
“(The program) … has helped me in regaining a lot of strength in my right side,” she said.
“Through the strength and conditioning coaches, I’ve been able to work on that and improve the strength in my right leg.”
Her goal now is to continue getting stronger and faster. And, in the long term?
“LA 2028,” she said.
By Natalie McGarry, Paralympics Australia.
Published 30 May, 2024.
Picture credit: Casey B Gibson.
