Australia at the 2008 Summer Paralympics

Australia at the
2008 Summer Paralympics
IPC codeAUS
NPCAustralian Paralympic Committee
Websitewww.paralympic.org.au
in Beijing
Competitors167 in 13 sports
Flag bearers Russell Short (Opening)
Matthew Cowdrey (Closing)
Officials122
Medals
Ranked 5th
Gold
23
Silver
29
Bronze
27
Total
79
Summer Paralympics appearances (overview)

Australia sent a delegation to compete at the 2008 Summer Paralympics in Beijing. The country sent 167 (95 male and 72 female) athletes in 13 sports (out of 20) and 122 officials.[1] It was the country's largest ever Paralympic delegation to an away Games.[2] The team sent to Beijing was described as the emergence of the new generation of Australian athletes with 56 percent of the team attending their first Paralympic Games.[3] The delegation's chef de mission was Darren Peters.[4]

Australian team enters the stadium at the opening ceremony
Australian team at the 2008 Beijing Paralympics opening ceremony

Australia won 23 gold, 29 silver and 27 bronze medals. It finished fourth on the total medal tally and fifth on the gold medal tally. Major sporting achievements for the Australian team included:

  1. ^ a b c d e f g Cite error: The named reference annualreport was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  2. ^ Murdoch, Alex (5 September 2008). "Beijing Paralympics lose friendly tone in gold hunt". The Courier-Mail. Archived from the original on 14 September 2008. Retrieved 4 September 2008.
  3. ^ Cite error: The named reference media was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  4. ^ "Missing chair provides Paralympic scare". The Sydney Morning Herald. 2 September 2008. Archived from the original on 5 September 2008. Retrieved 3 September 2008.