Five Proud Aussie Biathletes Make Their Winter Paralympics Debut

Nerves were controlled, excitement was felt and life-time goals were achieved. 

Yes, the results on Day 1 of the Para biathlon 6.5km sprint were not podium-related but all five Australian athletes who completed three course loops, with two target-shoots in between, were making their Winter Paralympics debut. 

Lauren Parker was coming up against familiar faces in US duo Oksana Masters and Kendell Gretsch, who she raced against in the Summer Paralympics in road cycling and triathlon. 

The pair claimed gold and silver today at the Tesero Cross-Country Stadium – it was Masters’ 10th Winter Paralympics gold medal. 

Parker is no slouch either with double gold at the Paris Summer Games before switching to the Winter challenge in the Australian winter of 2025. 

“I know you just can’t jump into a sport and expect to be on top … it takes hard work,” Parker said. “They are amazing athletes in both Summer and Winter. Obviously, I’ve raced Kendall in Para triathlon and hopefully I can be up with them in four years’ time. 

“I was a bit anxious before the race being just my second Sprint biathlon, so I’m probably the least experienced.” 

Parker finished 13th but has five events remaining – two more in biathlon and then three in cross-country. On Sunday is the individual event over a longer course. 

“The first one is now out of the way, you get to know the course, so tomorrow I’ll be less anxious. I like the longer distances,” she said. 

Fellow sit skiers Dave Miln and Matt Brumby finished 26th and 28th respectively in today’s sprint. 

“It felt okay,” Miln said. “It was the first race so a little bit of jitters, bit of excitement and nerves. I just need to steady myself a little better and shoot a little cleaner. 

“That will all come as we proceed into the next races,” he added before paying tribute to wife Clare, who is back in Sydney doing the school runs while studying for her medical degree. 

“It’s first year medical studies for her – she’s worked so hard for that and I’ so proud of where she is. 

“The girls (Anna and Isla) are Year One and Kindy at school so it’s incredible what she (Clare) is going through – her first year at uni, holding down the fort at home, kids at school, medical appointments for the kids which are ongoing. 

“She’s incredible. I’m proud of her and everything she’s able to achieve while supporting me at the same time.” 

Miln did have one ‘female’ family member waiting at the finish line in Tesero – service dog Suki – who he said probably picked up on his pre-race nerves. 

“Definitely. She’s been at the World Cup races with me and seen the process and what I go through. She’s taught to pick up on those things and work (with me) on those anxieties,” he said. 

Brumby had his dog, Willow, jumping up into his lap and licking his face on cue as American network NBC was interviewing him about the role of his four-legged best friend. 

But Brumby, who has been competing at Para triathlon since losing the use of his legs in a rare spinal cord condition in 2010, took a moment to reflect on his journey to get to a Paralympics. He narrowly missed selection for the 2016 Rio Summer Games before switching to snow four years ago. 

“After the first shooting clean and then on the second lap there was a bit of emotion coming out. It was like ‘I can do this’,” Brumby said. 

“There was a bit of doubt coming in (to the Games) as I’ve been trying to get to a Paralympics since I started racing. 

“I think it was the most emotional I’ve been halfway through that second lap…. Yeah, I’m not skiing the fastest, but I can do this.” 

He and Miln also have the individual biathlon on Sunday. 

For vision impaired athlete Taryn Dickens and her guide Lynn Maree Cullen, who finished 14th, it was a hard day’s work with an equipment failure and two falls. 

“How did it feel? I want to say I’m not here to put socks on caterpillars, but I reckon that actually would have been easier than that first race,” Dickens said. 

“But it was good fun. I started well, felt nice and smooth and fast. It was just a bit of a bummer that I busted a pole on the first uphill climb. 

“I didn’t realise until we got up the top and I tried to push off on it and there was nothing there. 

“Shout out to Canada and the Canadian assistants up there – they gave me a pole. That’s what Para sport is about, helping other nations out, so big thanks to Canada.” 

Cullen was a biathlete on the shadow Australian Olympic team at three Winter Games – a reserve in case anyone was injured in the lead-up – but can’t speak more highly of the Paralympic skier-guide relationship. 

“It’s so different to being on your own because when things aren’t going right it can get into your head. But when there’s two of us, one is bucking the other up,” Cullen said. 

“We did as hard and as fast she could on the day and that’s all you can ask for. Unfortunately, we did have a couple of falls but for the whole part, the course was amazing.” 

Dickens nodded in agreement. 

“As much as it’s difficult as a blind person to always have to rely on someone to do sport, I always have to remind myself if I pull out that’s her race done as well,” Dickens said. 

“You do it for each other.” 

Margie McDonald, Paralympics Australia