Making First Nation tracks from Gundagai to Birmingham

IT’S a long way from Gundagai to Birmingham but for Indi Cooper she’s been dreaming of being on the international stage for a long time.

Australia’s youngest member of its Commonwealth Games track and field team, and one of 11 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander athletes travelling to the Games, was inspired by watching world-beating para-athlete Isis Holt compete at the Rio 2016 Paralympics.

Cooper, who has dystonic cerebral palsy in all four limbs and severe short-sightedness, will join Rhiannon Clarke and Ella Pardy in the T38 100m event.

The 16-year-old was selected after setting the seventh fastest time in the Commonwealth and her talent was recognised by being awarded the Kurt Fearnley Scholarship from Commonwealth Games Australia.

“I loved watching Ellie Cole and Isis Holt when I was younger. They were two females in sport showing what can be achieved with hard work and dedication,” Cooper said.

“I was lucky enough to meet them when I was 11 ... prior to the 2016 Rio Olympics. A few years later, I found myself racing against Isis herself in Canberra - that was pretty cool.”

At the other end of the spectrum in the 16-member Para-athlete Australian team is established star Madison de Rozario who is coming off an incredible 2021.

She entered the Tokyo Games as one of the best T53/54 wheelchair racers in the world, having won gold medals at the Commonwealth Games and World titles.

What she didn’t have was an Paralympic title but de Rozario took care of that quickly with a dominant display in the 800m T53, setting a new Games record. She then won one of the most memorable races in Tokyo, the marathon T54 event by just a second in an epic finish. De Rozario, 28, will defend her Commonwealth 1500m T54 and marathon crowns. Other medal hopes include Sarah Edmiston (discus), wheelchair racer Angie Ballard and sprinter Jaydon

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