Replacement Medals Spark Rio Dream for Paralympic Legend

The Minister for Sport and Recreation the Hon. Terry Waldron MLA today presented WAIS Paralympian Brad Ness with a set of replica medals following the heart-breaking theft of his Paralympic medals earlier this year.

Stolen from his home in Italy along with a number of personal items in February, the four-time Paralympian and captain of the Australian men’s wheelchair basketball team, the Rollers, never thought he would see his Beijing gold medal, and Sydney and London silver medals again.

While his original Paralympic medals have not resurfaced, receiving the replacement medals at a ceremony at Parliament House in Perth was welcome relief for Ness, particularly on learning of the lengths the Australian Paralympic Committee and International Paralympic Committee had gone to in replacing his most prized possessions.

“I don’t think anyone was holding their breath too much but when we got the word through that the IPC was actually going to replace my medals, it was great,” Ness said.

“It’s like waiting for Christmas, you sort of know that it’s coming but now that I’ve got them in my hands, it’s a fantastic reality.”

Ness, who took up wheelchair basketball after he lost his right leg in a boating accident at age 18, has represented Australia at four Paralympic Games and three World Championships and is one of the most dominant and formidable wheelchair basketball players in the world.

Outside of his playing career, he has given back to the sport he loves, developing two wheelchair basketball teams for young people with a disability in Italy and is a constant source of inspiration and knowledge to his teammates.

Mr Waldron spoke of his delight at being able to present the replacement set of medals to Ness, who grew up in the electorate of Wagin, that Mr Waldron is the sitting member of parliament.

“It’s an honour and privilege for me today because I know Brad’s family; I know what Brad went through. He was a very good sportsman, then he had his accident and to rise above all that, get on with his life and become an Australian sporting star who has won a gold and two silver medals is a fantastic achievement,” Mr Waldron said.

“The government strongly supports Paralympic sport here in Western Australia and I want to say thanks to the Australian Paralympic Committee for their work to replace Brad’s medals.

For Brad, the whole ordeal has only strengthened his resolve to make it to the Rio 2016 Paralympic Games and win another medal.

“I’m coming to the end of my career now and I want to have a crack at Rio. We’ve got the World Championships next year and if nothing else, this has motivated me and given me the incentive to keep going, get to Rio and win another one.”

-APC