ParaSTART athletes inspire at the UQ 2024 Youth Game Changers Summit

Six athletes from The University of Queensland’s ParaSTART Program were recognised for their dedication in a ceremony at the 2024 Youth Game Changers Summit.

Surrounded by friends and family, Jamie Booth, Nate Woolgar, Kunal Nimkar, Max Bailey-Jensen, Chloe Tookey and Zakary Sorensen, were each presented with a plaque celebrating their ongoing commitment to the program.

Professor Sean Tweedy

Professor Sean Tweedy

Professor Sean Tweedy from UQ’s School of Human Movement and Nutrition Sciences and the Queensland Centre for Olympic and Paralympic Studies, leads the ParaSTART Program.

“In the seven years that ParaSTART has been running, we have had a zero per cent drop out rate,” Professor Tweedy said.

“This is an incredible statistic, as there aren’t many physical activity interventions of any type that can match that sort of retention.

“I congratulate the athletes for their hard work.

"This recognition is well and truly deserved.”

ParaSTART is the first program in Australia to focus on training and evaluating athletes with high support needs.

A recent study by Professor Tweedy found the training program not only improved participant’s swimming speed and distance, but also improved motor function in 3 athletes with cerebral palsy.

Professor Allan Hahn from the Queensland Academy of Sport said celebrating the athletes was about more than medals.

“Working with this cohort is a real stimulus for innovation, which have applications beyond parasport,” Professor Hahn said.

“It’s always great when research has benefits beyond sport, and that’s something we always strive for.

“In this case, it’s happening.

“Congratulations to all the athletes recognised for their commitment to the program, to have no dropouts is a remarkable achievement, and one which speaks volumes of ParaSTART.”

In 2024, 55 students from years 10 and 11 from 13 state and private schools in Queensland attended the Youth Game Changers Summit, which is designed to connect like-minded young people with industry, government and influential people in sport.

The summit is a 3-day residential learning experience for young Queenslanders who are curious about the transformative potential of sport and the Olympic and Paralympic Games through expert seminars, networking and experimental learning at the Queensland Academy of Sport.

Dr Stephen Townsend said the Youth Game Changers Summit is about engaging young Queenslanders with diverse career and community service opportunities presented by Brisbane 2032.

“Many young Queenslanders are excited about the Games but see it as a distant and abstract event, accessible only to those in the elite sport system,” Dr Townsend said.

“The Youth Game Changers Summit aims to show that the Games are more than sport, and that all Queenslanders, especially young people should take ownership of it.

“The participants of the summit learn from experts about how they and their peers can build positive legacies from this megaevent, whether those legacies be in sport, economics, technology, culture, health, or otherwise.”

In its second year, the UQ Youth Game Changers Summit is a collaboration between the Queensland Centre for Olympic and Paralympic Studies, the Flinders Discovery Institute and the Queensland Academy of Sport.

Group photo of participants on the Youth Game Changers Summit

Youth Game Changers Summit participants