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Dylan Alcott On International Day Of People With Disability: 'If I Didn't Find Sport... I Would Not Be Speaking Today'

The Australian paralympian says he “hated having a disability” when younger, but playing sport changed that.
Dylan Alcott of Australia pictured in September 2019.
Emilee Chinn via Getty Images
Dylan Alcott of Australia pictured in September 2019.

Australian wheelchair basketballer, tennis player and three-time gold medal paralympian gold medallist Dylan Alcott has spoken about how he “hated having a disability” when younger, but grew to embrace himself over the years after he started playing sport.

The 28-year-old has now launched a program that he hopes will encourage greater opportunities for young Australians with a disability will have the opportunity to participate in sport.

“I was born with my disability and my early teenage years I actually hated having a disability. It was really tough for me,” Alcott told ABC AM’s Sabra Lane on Tuesday, the International Day of People with Disability.

Dylan Alcott
Graham Denholm via Getty Images
Dylan Alcott

“One thing I struggled with the most was my brother started playing football, AFL and I remember I went down and wanted to get involved and I had to sit there and watch. And the club that he was at didn’t really have any way to integrate anybody with a disability, and I found that really hard.”

Alcott said his parents strongly advocated for him to be active and play sport, and for that he counts himself “so lucky”.

“Without that, I probably wouldn’t have found sport and if I didn’t find sport, I can assure you, you and I would not be speaking today,” he said.

On Tuesday the Get Skilled Access program Sports 4 All was launched in Canberra, with the Australian government providing $2 million towards the cause.

The program aims to help more Australians with a disability stay active, with education programs delivered to schools and local sport clubs.

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