Paralympian makes history
KURT Fearnley has challenged Australia to lead the way on inclusion and judge substance over image after becoming the first Paralympic recipient of The Don Award.
Fearnley, 37, was last night recognised as the Australian sporting star whose achievements over the last 12 months — which included a gold medal at the Gold Coast Commonwealth Games — have most inspired the nation.
And while the wheelchair racer spoke of his humility in receiving the award, he used a heartfelt and striking acceptance speech to push Australians to use sport as a vehicle to embrace and support the disabled community.
“I fundamentally believe that sport can lead this country, and I believe that the Paralympic movement is a jewel within the sporting crown,” Fearnley said.
“Sport within this country has never been about the individual. It’s been about the uniform leading. I’m the first within the Paralympic movement to receive this award, and I am incredibly grateful to have been given this opportunity. But I will guarantee that I won’t be the last.
“We need every person … to embrace our community of people with disabilities.”
Fearnley — who is in the US competing and could not attend last night’s gala — has won three Paralympic Games gold medals and four world championships, and was honoured as Australia’s flag-bearer at the closing ceremony of the Gold Coast Commonwealth Games.
He said he had seen too many counterparts endure “too much shame” in their disability and declared judgment should be cast upon “substance and not image” in a society that he said cared too much about the latter.
“I have no intention of self-congratulation — I have to point behind me,” he said.
“To the generations of proud men and women with disabilities, who allowed me to become the person and athlete that you see fit to receive this award — an athlete whose sport has been born out of the back-fields of rehabilitation hospitals, that was created by men and women who had the desire to see not only what was physically possible, but was humanly possible.
“I’ve heard the stories of our Paralympic forebears, who speak about losing friends, who felt too much shame in their experience with disability. And that is within our own community. There was too much shame, and there wasn’t enough hope. So our sport was born out of that hope. Hope that somebody can be judged by substance and not image.”
He said difference must be celebrated, “and not used to be segregated”.
“Through the medium of sport, that’s what our movement represents — hope,” an impassioned Fearnley said.
“Hope that if sport can adjust to include those with disabilities, maybe community can follow. And when our community is shifting to this idea of perfection where life — within even a picture — is filtered within an inch of humanity, our movement has greater importance than ever, because the image of perfection isn’t real.’’
Fearnley joins previous winners of The Don Award such as boxer Jeff Horn, swimmer Grant Hackett, spinner Shane Warne and athlete Sally Pearson, claiming honours among a field of finalists that included Formula One star Dan Ricciardo, Indy 500 winner Will Power, Matildas goalscorer Sam Kerr, wheelchair athlete Madison de Rozario, outgoing Kookaburras skipper Mark Knowles OAM, dualcode star Ellyse Perry and para-triathlete Lauren Parker.
Richie Benaud OBE was elevated to Legend status in the Sport Australia Hall of Fame, with Allan Moffat OBE, Harry Kewell, Darren Lockyer, Wendy Botha, Robyn Maher, Gai Waterhouse, Sam Coffa and Drew Ginn inducted as members.