Australia sent a delegation to compete at the 2008 Summer Paralympics in Beijing. The country sent 167 (95 male and 72 female) athletes in 13 sports (out of 20) and 122 officials.^[1] It was the country's largest ever Paralympic delegation to an away Games.^[2] The team sent to Beijing was described as the emergence of the new generation of Australian athletes with 56 percent of the team attending their first Paralympic Games.^[3] The delegation's chef de mission was Darren Peters.^[4]

Australia won 23 gold, 29 silver and 27 bronze medals. It finished fourth on the total medal tally and fifth on the gold medal tally. Major sporting achievements for the Australian team included:

• Matt Cowdrey, an arm amputee swimmer, winning five gold and three silver medals to be the Games' leading athlete.^[1]
• Peter Leek, a cerebral palsy swimmer, winning eight medals including three gold.
• Heath Francis, an arm amputee sprinter and Evan O'Hanlon, cerebral palsy sprinter winning three gold medals.^[1]
• Kurt Fearnley, a wheelchair racer, winning the marathon for the second time.^[1]
• Australian men's wheelchair basketball team winning gold.^[1]
• 98 Australian athletes won a medal.^[1]
• Australian athletes: 21 new world records, 31 Paralympic records, 79 Australian records and 164 personal bests.^[1]

More information Medal, Name ...

Medal Name Sport Event  Gold Evan O'Hanlon Athletics Men's 100 m T38  Gold Evan O'Hanlon Athletics Men's 200 m T38  Gold Heath Francis Athletics Men's 100 m T46  Gold Heath Francis Athletics Men's 200 m T46  Gold Heath Francis Athletics Men's 400 m T46  Gold Kurt Fearnley Athletics Men's marathon T54  Gold Lisa McIntosh Athletics Women's 100 m T37  Gold Lisa McIntosh Athletics Women's 200 m T37  Gold Christine Wolf Athletics Women's long jump F42  Gold Evan O'Hanlon, Darren Thrupp, Christopher Mullins, Timothy Sullivan Athletics Men's 4 × 100 m T35-T38  Gold Australia men's national wheelchair basketball team Dylan Alcott Brendan Dowler Justin Eveson Michael Hartnett Adrian King Tristan Knowles Grant Mizens Brad Ness Shaun Norris Troy Sachs Tige Simmons Brett Stibners Wheelchair Basketball Men's tournament  Gold Michael Gallagher Cycling Men's individual pursuit LC1  Gold Kieran Modra, Tyson Lawrence Cycling Men's individual pursuit B&VI  Gold Christopher Scott Cycling Men's individual pursuit CP4  Gold Matt Cowdrey Swimming Men's 100 m freestyle S9  Gold Matt Cowdrey Swimming Men's 100 m backstroke S9  Gold Matt Cowdrey Swimming Men's 50 m freestyle S9  Gold Matt Cowdrey Swimming Men's 200 m individual medley SM9  Gold Peter Leek Swimming Men's 100 m butterfly S8  Gold Peter Leek Swimming Men's 200 m individual medley SM8  Gold Rick Pendleton Swimming Men's 200 m individual medley SM10  Gold Katrina Porter Swimming Women's 100 m backstroke S7  Gold Ben Austin, Daniel Bell, Sam Bramham, Matthew Cowdrey, Peter Leek, Matthew Levy, Ricardo Moffatti, Rick Pendleton Swimming Men's 4 × 100 m medley relay (34 points)  Silver Richard Colman Athletics Men's 200 m T53  Silver Brad Scott Athletics Men's 800 m T37  Silver Kurt Fearnley Athletics Men's 800 m T54  Silver Kurt Fearnley Athletics Men's 5000 m T54  Silver Aaron Chatman Athletics Men's high jump F44/46  Silver Paul Raison Athletics Men's shot put F44  Silver Angela Ballard, Christie Dawes, Madison de Rozario, Jemima Moore Athletics Women's 4 × 100 m T53-T54  Silver Kath Proudfoot Athletics Women's shot put F35-36  Silver Amanda Fraser Athletics Women's shot put F37-38  Silver Christopher Scott Cycling Men's road time trial CP4  Silver Ben Demery, Shaun Hopkins Cycling Men's 1km time trial B&VI  Silver Ben Demery, Shaun Hopkins Cycling Men's sprint (B&VI 1–3)  Silver Lindy Hou, Toireasa Gallagher Cycling Individual pursuit B&VI 1–3  Silver Felicity Johnson, Katie Parker Cycling Women's 1km time trial (B&VI 1–3)  Silver Darren Gardiner Powerlifting Men's 100 +kg  Silver Kathryn Ross, John Maclean Rowing Mixed double sculls  Silver Daniel Fitzgibbon, Rachael Cox Sailing 2-person keelboat SKUD 18  Silver Michael Anderson Swimming Men's 100 m backstroke S10  Silver Sarah Bowen Swimming Women's 100 m breaststroke SB6  Silver Blake Cochrane Swimming Men's 100 m breaststroke SB7  Silver Ellie Cole Swimming Women's 100 m butterfly S9  Silver Matt Cowdrey Swimming Men's 100 m butterfly S9  Silver Matt Cowdrey Swimming Men's 400 m freestyle S9  Silver Marayke Jonkers Swimming Women's 150 m individual medley SM4  Silver Peter Leek Swimming Men's 100 m backstroke S8  Silver Peter Leek Swimming Men's 400 m freestyle S8  Silver Peter Leek Swimming Men's 50 m freestyle S8  Silver Ben Austin, Sam Bramham, Matt Cowdrey, Peter Leek Swimming Men's 4 × 100 m freestyle relay (34 points)  Silver Australia national wheelchair rugby team Bryce Alman Ryley Batt Grant Boxall Shane Brand Cameron Carr Nazim Erdem George Hucks Steve Porter Ryan Scott Greg Smith Scott Vitale Wheelchair Rugby Men's tournament  Bronze Richard Colman Athletics Men's 400 m T53  Bronze Kurt Fearnley Athletics Men's 1500 m T54  Bronze Christine Wolf Athletics Women's 100 m T42  Bronze Julie Smith Athletics Women's 200 m T46  Bronze Madeleine Hogan Athletics Women's javelin F42-46  Bronze Jodi Willis-Roberts Athletics Women's shot put F12-13  Bronze Aaron Chatman, Heath Francis, Paul Raison, Stephen Wilson Athletics Men's 4 × 100 m relay T42-46  Bronze Australia women's national wheelchair basketball team Clare Burzynski Shelley Chaplin Cobi Crispin Melanie Domaschenz Kylie Gauci Melanie Hall Katie Hill Bridie Kean Tina McKenzie Kathleen O'Kelly-Kennedy Sarah Stewart Liesl Tesch Wheelchair Basketball Women's tournament  Bronze Lindy Hou, Toireasa Gallagher Cycling Women's 1km time trial B&VI 1–3  Bronze Kieran Modra, Tyson Lawrence Cycling Men's 1km time trial B&VI 1–3  Bronze Bryce Lindores, Steven George Cycling Men's individual pursuit B&VI 1–3  Bronze Jayme Paris Cycling Women's 500m time trial LC3–4/CP 3  Bronze Christopher Scott Cycling Men's 1km time trial CP 4  Bronze Greg Ball Cycling Men's 1km time trial LC 3–4  Bronze Michael Gallagher Cycling Men's road race LC 1–2/CP 4  Bronze Georgia Bruce Equestrian Mixed Dressage – Championship grade IV  Bronze Georgia Bruce Equestrian Mixed Dressage – Freestyle grade IV  Bronze Russell Boaden, Colin Harrison, Graeme Martin Sailing 3-person keelboat Sonar  Bronze Ellie Cole Swimming Women's 400 m freestyle S9  Bronze Ellie Cole Swimming Women's 100 m backstroke S9  Bronze Jay Dohnt Swimming Men's 400 m freestyle S7  Bronze Jacqueline Freney Swimming Women's 400 m freestyle S8  Bronze Jacqueline Freney Swimming Women's 100 m freestyle S8  Bronze Jacqueline Freney Swimming Women's 50 m freestyle S8  Bronze Peter Leek Swimming Men's 100 m freestyle S8  Bronze Kat Lewis Swimming Women's 50 m freestyle S10  Bronze Annabelle Williams Swimming Women's 100 m butterfly S9

Medals by discipline Discipline Total Archery 0 0 0 0 Athletics 10 9 7 26 Wheelchair basketball 1 0 1 2 Boccia 0 0 0 0 Cycling 3 5 7 15 Equestrian 0 0 2 2 Wheelchair fencing 0 0 0 0 Football five-a-side 0 0 0 0 Football seven-a-side 0 0 0 0 Judo 0 0 0 0 Powerlifting 0 1 0 1 Rowing 0 1 0 1 Wheelchair rugby 0 1 0 1 Sailing 0 1 1 2 Shooting 0 0 0 0 Swimming 9 11 9 29 Table tennis 0 0 0 0 Wheelchair tennis 0 0 0 0 Total 23 29 27 79

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There were 19 venues for the Paralympics in Beijing. From this, 18 were used at the Olympics and also in the Paralympic games.^[12] Venues were spread throughout three regions in China.^[13] “In the construction of the Olympic venues and related facilities, we will give full consideration to the special needs of the athletes and spectators with physical disabilities, to materialize the goal of "equality, participation and sharing"”.^[12] When constructing venues for both the Olympic and Paralympic, impediment free designs had to be used to enable access by able and disabled bodies.^[14]

Facilities where Australians competed include the Beijing National Stadium (Birds Nest), Beijing National Aquatics Centre (Water Cube), Beijing National Indoor Stadium (Fan) as well as many more.

Athletes and coaches were supported by administrative and sports medicine and science staff. Administrative staff – Darren Peters (Chef de Mission), Nick Dean (Deputy Chef de Mission), Paul Bird (Chef de Mission), Alison Keys, Jason Hellwig (General Manager), Steve Loader, Michael Hartung, Natalie Jenkins, Caroline Walker, Chris Nunn (Performance Consultant), Jenni Cole, Tony Naar (Chief Information Manager), Graham Cassidy (Media Manager), Margie McDonald, Jordan Baker, Karen Michelmore
Sports medicine and science staff – Larissa Trease, Alison Campbell (Medical Coordinator), Geoff Thompson, Ruben Branson, Sally Heads, John Camens, David Spurrier, Lily Chiu, Richard Bennett, Gary Slater, Jo Vaile^[1][3]

“Australia's Paralympic team is funded by the Federal Government but also relies heavily on donations and corporate sponsorship”.^[16] The growth of Paralympic sports has grown phenomenally in the past decade however there was concern this didn't translate into increased corporate sponsorship, especially before the 2008 games.^[16] Despite this, the Australian Paralympic Committee outlined in their Annual Report for 2007/08 that their corporate sponsorship revenue increased. The revenue for corporate sponsorship was $1.47 million for the year, resulting in a 17.7 per cent increase from the previous year.^[17]

The Australian Paralympic Committee (APC) runs the Toyota Paralympic Talent Search Program. "Its main goal is to identify people with physical disabilities, vision impairments or intellectual disabilities who display the athletic potential to one day make it to Paralympic level competition".^[19] There were 53 athletes from the program who became a part of the Paralympic Preparation Program leading up to the games.^[17] From this pool of athletes, 27 where chosen to represent Australia in the 2008 Beijing Paralympic Team.^[17] By the end of the games, 15 of those who were selected to be in the team from the Talent Program won medals at their first Paralympic games.^[17]

Since 1990 the Australian Paralympic Committee has been responsible for preparing the Summer and Winter Teams for the Paralympic Games.^[20] They also assist athletes to prepare by, "…providing funding for coaching, equipment and travel in the lead up to the…Paralympic Games".^[20] Fundraising is an essential avenue for the APC to provide funding for the team. Through various fundraising activities in the lead up to the 2008 games, a $3.11 million gross revenue was made from the 1 October 2007 to the 30 September 2008.^[17] This figure beat the target that was set. Revenue of $2.26 million was earned through activities such as raffles, lottery draws and promotional sales.^[17] Allsports Direct Australia is a contracted raffle trader and contributed to helping the APC earn the amount fundraised.The APC acknowledges the support from their individual and corporate donors. Almost $850,000 (from the 2007-2008 financial year) from individual and corporate donors went directly to the Beijing Paralympic Team.^[17]

Because Australia was sending their largest Paralympic team to the 2008 games, they wanted to make sure that their efforts would be broadcast to Australians. This included putting in place many initiatives to publish, broadcast and promote the games and Paralympic achievements. In order to distribute content they worked with the Australian Associated Press (AAP), “to maximise distribution of key stories, developing relationships with editors and key journalists, developing a program of events and activities and providing quality background information and stories”.^[17] Media Monitors, established there was a total of 31,986 Australian media stories distributed throughout the 2008 Paralympic Games.^[17] Online traffic on the APC's website throughout the Beijing Games increased more than 500 percent over Athens and media coverage.^[17] The Australian Paralympic Committee reported that there was a 65 per cent increase in Australian media coverage of the Games compared to the 2004 Games in Athens.^[1] Independent research has also indicated that 64 percent of Australians followed the Beijing Paralympics, which indicates that APC's goal to broadcast the games to Australians over multiple platforms was achieved.^[21]

The 2008 Paralympic Games also had television coverage by the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC). The ABC produced the largest, “coverage by an Australian broadcaster in the Paralympic Games history”.^[22] There was 40 crew that traveled to Beijing so that the ABC was able to produce more there 120 hours of coverage, including 100 hours which were broadcast live.^[22] It also included daily segments which showed highlights from the games and Australian athlete.^[3] The highlights shown at 6pm where, "...pulling in an average audience of over 400,000 viewers".^[23] The coverage of the games was shown over six platforms including television, online and radio. The ABC were, “…awarded Paralympic broadcaster of the year for the Beijing 2008 Paralympic Games”.^[24] Australian athlete Gerrard Gosens commented on the television coverage "When I look back to 1996 and the coverage that was there, it was very minimal. Today when you're looking at over 100 hours of ABC television coverage, that really has brought inspiration not only to many Australians, but in particular people who do have a physical disability and looking at the opportunities, not necessarily the obstacles of sport.

• Australia at the Paralympics
• Australia at the 2008 Summer Olympics