With the 17th Summer Paralympic Games set to commence in Paris next week, it is fitting that this blog post highlights the connection between the games and the CALHN Health Museum. The museum has a strong connection to the Paralympics, housing numerous artefacts from past games and sharing its grounds with the Hampstead Rehabilitation Centre (HRC), which has been instrumental in producing multiple Paralympic athletes.
Para-athlete Spotlight
Elizabeth ‘Libby’ Kosmala
Paralympics Attended: 12
Medal Tally: 9 gold, 3 silver, 1 bronze
Libby Kosmala was originally set to compete at the 1968 Tel Aviv Games, but due to an administrative error, she was unable to participate as an athlete and instead attended in a team secretary capacity. Her Paralympic dreams would have to wait another 4 years, but from 1972 onwards, Libby represented Australia in 12 consecutive Paralympic Games. She competed in various disciplines, including swimming, shooting, fencing, and athletics, only retiring recently in 2020. Beyond her athletic achievements, Libby was also a trailblazer off the sporting arena, being instrumental in the introduction of disabled parking permits in South Australia. Her Paralympic career spanned from 1972 to 2016.
Richard Alden Oliver
Paralympics Attended: 7
Medal Tally: 1 gold, 1 bronze
Richard Oliver joined the staff at HRC in April 1981 as a Recreation Coordinator, later becoming an exercise physiologist. He was the first wheelchair-bound staff member on site. Richard’s Paralympic journey began at the 1976 Toronto Games, where he competed in the men’s 100m 4 event. At the following Games in Arnhem, he won a bronze medal in that event. Although he would go on to set records in the 100m and 200m sprint events, Richard eventually shifted his focus to wheelchair basketball. This change in direction proved worthwhile, as he was part of the Australian national wheelchair basketball team that won gold at the 1996 Atlanta Games, for which he received an Order of Australia. Richard’s Paralympic career spanned from 1976 to 1996.
Troy Andrews
Paralympics Attended: 4
Medal Tally: 1 gold
Troy was also part of the 1996 wheelchair basketball gold medal team with Richard. Troy joined the HRC team in 1991 as an Equipment and Wheelchair Technician for the occupational therapy department. Not only has Troy represented Australia in the wheelchair basketball events but also in the air pistol 2-6 event. One of the buildings on the Hampstead site is the gymnasium and basketball court named in honour of Dr Russell Barbour. With both Troy and Richard being staff at the site, there would have been plenty of opportunity to make the most of the court at their disposal. Troy’s Paralympic career spans from 1984 to 2000.
Thanks to facilities like the Hampstead Rehabilitation Centre, sport for recovery patients has evolved from a form of rehabilitation to recreation, and ultimately to competitive sport. Although the grounds today are not as green and spacious as they once were, with the centre being rapidly encroached upon by housing developments and the gym facilities becoming slightly dated, Hampstead Rehabilitation Centre was – and still can be – a prime facility for producing the next generation of Australian Paralympians.
Written by Anna Grigoriev, CALHN Health Museum