Rosemary Little finished seventh in the women’s 100m T33/34 on debut at the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games.
Three-time Paralympian Rosemary Little represented Australia in wheelchair racing at London 2012 and Rio 2016 and in shot put at the Tokyo 2020 Paralympics.
Rosemary first took up wheelchair racing after attending a Wheelchair Sports NSW ‘Come and Try’ day in 2003. She excelled in the sport immediately but unfortunately was just 0.02 second short of qualifying for the Athens 2004 Paralympic Games. Rosemary then took a hiatus from the sport, returning in 2011.
The Queensland-born, Sydney local was selected onto the Australian Team for the London 2012 Paralympics where she won bronze in the 100m T34. The following year she added to her medal tally, picking up silver in the 200m T34 and bronze in the 100m T34 at the 2013 IPC World Para Athletics Championships in France.
In the lead up to the Rio 2016 Olympics, Rosemary was again selected to represent Australia at the 2015 IPC World Para Athletics Championships but was admitted to hospital the day before competition and was forced to withdraw. Recovering in time for selection, Rosemary was named on the Australia Team for the Rio 2016 Paralympics where she achieved top -five finishes in the 100m T34, 400m T34 and 800m T34.
Following the Rio Games, the NSWIS scholarship holder was diagnosed with a rare spinal tumour and spent nearly a year in hospital. After her wheelchair classification was changed, she switched to shot put and went on win gold in the event at the 2019 Arafura Games in Darwin.
At the Tokyo 2020 Paralympics Rosemary threw a personal best of 6.26m to finish a commendable fifth.