Bond Bull Sharks wheelchair rugby players Emilie Miller, Ella Sabljak and Brayden Foxley-Conolly have been selected to represent the Australian Steelers at the 2024 Paralympic Games in Paris.
Australia is one of eight countries that have qualified to compete at the Champ De Mars Arena from the 29th of August till the 2nd of September.
Paris will be Ella Sabljak’s second Paralympics, but the sport and states are vastly different this time.
At the 2021 Tokyo Paralympics Sabljak competed in the wheelchair basketball but made the switch over to wheelchair rugby just two years ago and admits it she initially harboured reservations about taking on a new sport.
“I’ve had a long history with wheelchair basketball, I’ve played it since 2009,” Sabljak said .
“I got a call from the wheelchair rugby coach saying, ‘we watched you at Tokyo and thought you would be a good fit to come play rugby’, at the time I thought it's really not for me.”
“I ended up stepping in for a national competition on the Gold Coast to make up numbers
“And the rest is history, I changed sport overnight basically.”
Another difference with this Paralympic campaign will be looking up to the stands and see the faces of loved ones.
“I’m so excited to have my family and friends in the stands, I’m excited for them to experience all the atmosphere,” Sabljak said.
“In Tokyo we were restricted with masks and daily COVID tests.
“I think everyone is craving the games, everyone will make the most out of it.”
Emilie Miller and Brayden Foxley-Conolly will both make their Olympic debuts in Paris but there is plenty of experience in the team with Steelers co-captains Chris Bond and Ryley Batt competing at a combined eight Paralympic Games.
Although this is Emilie’s first games, she is no stranger to elite sport, paracycling at an elite level since 2015 before picking up wheelchair rugby in 2021.
“I’m not sure what to expect from Paris but I’m grateful to lean on our experienced players,” Miller said.
Brayden, the youngest member of the Steelers also made the switch from wheelchair basketball to rugby.
“Brayden has so much potential, when he fires up and gets out there, he is quite deadly,” Ella Sabljak said.
Following a disappointing blow at the Tokyo Paralympics, the Steelers have had a successful campaign winning the 2022 World Championships in Denmark and 2023 World Cup in Paris.
“I 100% believe we will be able to claim gold,” Sabljak said.
“This is one of the strongest teams we’ve ever had, we have so much potential and depth.
“I think the difference we have is all players can hit the floor and perform; our superstar players can be off, and we can still maintain the lead.”