- He won three medals at the Paris Games.
- He will leave with a big paycheck
- He warns that others will not be so lucky.
Paralympic star Tim Hodge has warned Australia risks falling behind if it fails to match spending on Paralympic sport with that of the Olympic Games.
Hodge will leave Paris next week with three Paralympic medals to her name after claiming silver in the 100m butterfly (S9) on Friday.
Teammate Ben Hance claimed Australia’s first gold medal of the day less than half an hour later at La Defense Arena when he took first place in the 100m backstroke (S14).
Callum Simpson, 17, also won his first individual gold by finishing first in the 100m freestyle (S8).
Simpson, Hance, 24, Hodge, 23, and 19-year-old Lewis Bishop, who won bronze in the same race as Hodge, are shaping up to be key elements of Australia’s Paralympic team ahead of the 2032 Brisbane Games.
Hodge leaves Paris with two golds in the 200m individual medley (S9) and the 4x100m relay with 34 points, in addition to her silver.
Her haul is likely to net her $20,000 in medal money as part of a funding deal set up by Sports Minister Annika Wells.
But while his performances have secured him a welcome salary, Hodge says other para-athletes are not so fortunate.
“The medal bonuses and financial support that Paralympic athletes are now receiving is just incredible,” Hodge said.
“It really gives us the opportunity to train and perform like our Olympic peers do, and not have to worry as much about paying rent and making sure we have a suit for the next competition that isn’t two years old.”
Paralympic star Tim Hodge says Australia will be left behind without more funding
While Australians have enjoyed a successful Paris Paralympics, medals could start to dry up without more government funding.
Hodge was keen to point out that despite increased funding, some Paralympic sports are the poor cousins of their Olympic counterparts.
“I don’t know the numbers, but I know it’s a widespread problem that we hope to change with awareness about para-sport,” Hodge said.
‘While the Olympics are the epitome of human excellence, the Paralympics are the epitome of human resilience, and people at home can relate to that.
‘They might see someone on TV who’s missing a leg or an arm or whatever and think, ‘Well, they can do that. Why can’t I?’
“To build that Paralympic movement and ensure that it lives on for future generations, I think the funding is really necessary.”
As Hodge issued a rallying cry to sponsors and the government, Hance reflected on “the worst year” of his life.
Hance, who lost his father Tony earlier this year, had set a new world record in his heat before taking gold in his final.
“This has been the worst year of my life by far. I’m glad this season is over. I’m glad I got a gold medal,” Hance said.
“I was just thanking my dad for everything he’s done. He always loved my backstroke and I’m happy to have given him a gold medal tonight, no doubt about it…”
‘I was supposed to be in the stands.
“I just enjoyed the work, it was the best 10 weeks of training of my life. I enjoyed every moment.”