Few have accomplished all that Shelley Matheson (nee Chaplin) has: At the age of 39, she has won three Paralympic medals, captained her country, travelled the world, and given birth to two daughters – unmedicated no less. And shes done it all from a wheelchair.
The average tourist may return from Paris with an Eiffel Tower key ring or notebook. Olympians and Paralympians, however, will return with the most unique souvenir of all with a historic part of the city etched into the medal around their necks.
Ten VIS scholarship holders won gold at the championships, which concluded in Buninyong on Sunday. A further four won either silver or bronze.
From alpine skier, to track and field athlete, to rower and now cyclist, Jessica Gallagher’s history is an impressively long one with the 37-year old osteopath training towards the Paris Paralympics. Gallagher was honoured at the RMIT University graduation evening, sharing with the 2023 graduates her incredible story.