Chris Bond is ready to show Australia what he and his teammates are made of.
Australia’s rugby wheelchair team has won hearts in their new documentary, they’ve won the 2023 World Cup and now they want to win a Paralympic Games gold medal.
The Steelers have clawed back their world number one world ranking and they’re ready to show Paris this week why they deserve it.
“We know we have the strongest team, in my opinion, that we’ve ever had,” Bond said.
“Going to this game, we’re gonna be aiming for a gold medal and nothing less. This is for us, the grand final of all grand finals.”
The Steelers kick off in Paris with a match against Great Britain on Thursday night as the third biggest sports event on the planet gets underway with the opening ceremony on Wednesday night.
Wheelchair rugby is hoping for a big home crowd after the release of their documentary Forged in Steel on Nine in mid August.
The documentary features Bond and his teammates dealing with raw emotions, intense competition and personal sacrifices as they prepare for the Paralympics.
The team will compete against eight other countries over five days to win the elusive gold, proving they’re a renewed team since finishing fourth in Tokyo three years ago.
Nine athletes from the ACT are competing in the Paralympics, with Australia sending a total of 160 athletes to compete in 17 sports.
But it’s not all smooth sailing for Australia’s Paralympians, with many struggling to support themselves while training for the Games.
Bond said that while athletes receive some small grants from the federal government and institutes, most Paralympic athletes are working full time or part time.
“Unfortunately, the common misconception is that we are paid well and that’s just not the case,” he said.
The federal government has committed to equal medal payments for Paralympians and Olympians in the 2024 Games.
Para-swimmers and para-rowers are in luck too, with mining magnate Gina Rinehart offering tens of thousands of dollars for podium finishers in the Games, on par with Australia’s Olympic medalists
As one of the team’s oldest players at 38, there’s whispers of retirement for four-time Paralympian Bond, but nothing absolute.
According to the athlete, it just means he’ll play every game like it’s his last.
“I’ll leave the door open for now. I’ll go and get through Paris and I’ll make my decision after, but there is every chance it could be my last,” he said.
“I’ll just use that as motivation to enjoy every ounce of it and play to my full potential and give everything I can.”
