Australian Paralympians at Paris 2024: an athlete retrospective
Celebrating our Paralympians: The Best of the 2024 Paris Games
By Clickability · Originally published 10 October 2024
Original article and dated context
We're celebrating the achievements of our amazing Australian Paralympians, who did us proud at the 2024 Paris Games. This is our roll call of the very best! Who would you add into the mix?
Tim Hodge, para-swimming
Tim claimed his first Paralympic gold medal at the Paris Games in the 200m medley.
Tim swims in the S9 classification, after losing his right foot when he was four.
He was competing in his third Paralympic Games in Paris, at only 23 years of age, where he set the world record in the 200m medley SM9 at a blistering 2:12.03.
[Clickability update, October 2026: The official Paris final results record Tim Hodge winning the SM9 200m individual medley in 2:13.31 on 5 September 2024. Do not describe 2:12.03 as his Paris gold-medal race time.]
Dan led Australia to its best-ever finish at the Paralympics in the boccia, clinching silver.
Dan has a rare genetic condition called Spinal Muscular Atrophy, meaning he uses a powerchair for his everyday mobility.
He competes in the Individual BC3 and Mixed Pairs BC3. He’s a world champion, having won gold in the mixed individual BC3 World Open in 2017, and the current world number-one ranked men’s BC3 player.
Emily Petricola, para-cycling
Emily defended her 3000m Individual Pursuit crown, winning gold at the Paris 2024 Games.
Emily was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis at the age of 27, but remained determined to continue participating in sport.
In 2015, cycling became her sport of choice, with two-time Olympian Matt Ryan offering to train her. Paralympic success beckoned.
She won gold and silver in her Paralympic debut in Tokyo in track events. Gold in Paris meant she won back-to-back golds.
Curtis McGrath, para-canoe
Curtis won his third consecutive gold medal at the Paris 2024 Games in KL2 para-canoe.
While serving as an Australian Army combat engineer in Afghanistan in 2012, Curtis lost his right leg above the knee and left leg below the knee after stepping on an improvised explosive device. He vowed to himself then and there he would become a Paralympian.
He was the Australian flag bearer at the Rio 2016 Games, where he won his first paralympic medal, before going on to defend his crown in Tokyo, as well as win the VL3.
[Clickability update, October 2026: Paralympics Australia identifies Curtis McGrath’s Rio 2016 flag-bearing role as the closing ceremony. The original passage does not specify the ceremony.]
Clickability editorial update: October 2026
Take the sporting interest that suits you from these stories
You might enjoy following the athletes, trying a local activity or simply learning about a sport. None requires matching an elite performance. Use the Paris 2024 archive for the event record and ask local clubs about current participation opportunities.
Support needs do not disappear because an athlete succeeds. Choose assistance and activities around your own preferences and circumstances.
Celebrate achievement without comparing someone’s progress
Ask which stories interest the person and support their chosen level of involvement. Avoid using a medal winner as proof that effort removes all barriers. Practical access, suitable assistance and the person’s own goals remain central.
They belong to the historical 2024 account; check the sport’s current official rankings.
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