Eyes set on Tokyo spot
TWO-TIME Paralympics silver medallist and World Para Athletics champion Madison de Rozario, who is competing in the Gold Coast Wheelchair Marathon tomorrow, says pain is inevitable in such a race.
But she insists the result, after pushing through the barrier, is worth it.
“No matter how well you prepare, there is always a point along the way where you hit a brick wall,” de Rozario said.
“Going into 42km, you’re preparing yourself for pain, but the feeling of completing a marathon is so unique that you start to love it.” The Sydneybased athlete, 25, hopes to qualify on the Gold Coast this weekend for the Tokyo 2020 Olympics.
The wheelchair racing star was born in Perth and developed a rare auto-immune disease after catching the flu at age four, causing her to lose movement below the waist.
She started in the sport at age 12.
“As athletes, we all have our obstacles,” she said.
“It’s consistent across the board.”
She is well acquainted with the Gold Coast, having competed here at last year’s Commonwealth Games in which she won the 1500m T54 and the women’s wheelchair marathon.
De Rozario is the returning Gold Coast women’s wheelchair marathon champion and last year became the first Australian to take gold in the elite women’s wheelchair event at the London Marathon.
Also competing tomorrow will be 39-year-old mother Christie Dawes, who hopes to qualify for her seventh Paralympics, and four-time Paralympian Richard Colman.
The Wheelchair Marathon and the Wheelchair 15km race start at 7.15am tomorrow.