Australia national wheelchair rugby team

Australia AU
IWRF Ranking4 (2021)
CoachBrad Dubberley Nov 2006-
Paralympic Games
Appearances7
MedalsGold Gold: 2012
2016
Silver Silver: 2000
2008
Bronze Bronze: 2024
World Championships
Appearances8
MedalsGold Gold: 2014
2022
Silver Silver: 2010
2018
BronzeBronze: 2002

Australia national wheelchair rugby team represents Australia in international wheelchair rugby, is sport with national representation at the Paralympic Games. The Australian Team is known as the 'Steelers'.[1]

Australia has competed at every Paralympics Games since the sport gained full Paralympic Medal status at the 2000 Summer Paralympics.[2] The Steelers also competed in the 1996 Summer Paralympics where wheelchair rugby was a demonstration sport.[3] The 'Steelers' defeated Canada at the 2012 London Games to win its first gold medal.[4] In 2014, it won its first World Championship by defeating Canada. In winning the world championship, the Steelers became the second nation in history to hold both the Paralympic and world championship titles concurrently.[5]

Wheelchair Rugby Australia (WRA) established in 2022 is responsible for the development and growth of the sport of wheelchair rugby in Australia.[6] The sport is not included at the Special Olympics or the Deaflympics.[7]

  1. ^ "Australian steelers team named for London 2012". Wheelchair Sports Australia. Retrieved 30 May 2012.
  2. ^ Cite error: The named reference Rugby was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  3. ^ Media Guide : London 2012 Paralympic Games (PDF). Sydney: Australian Paralympic Committee. 2012. Archived from the original (PDF) on 7 March 2016. Retrieved 25 August 2014.
  4. ^ "Steelers down Canada to win gold". ABC Online. 10 September 2012. Retrieved 10 September 2012.
  5. ^ "Australia beats Canada to win Wheelchair Rugby World championships". ABC News. 11 August 2014. Retrieved 23 August 2014.
  6. ^ "About". Wheelchair Rugby Australia. Retrieved 17 October 2022.
  7. ^ Depauw, K. P., & Gavron, S. J. (2005). Disability sport. (p. 141) Lower Mitcham, South Australia: Human Kinetics Publishers.