More than 453,000 Australians are blind or have low vision, with that number expected to rise to 564,000 by 2030.

Yet, for many people, whether born with a vision impairment or navigating one acquired later in life, sport can feel inaccessible or even beyond their capabilities. Limited access to performance environments, lack of representation, and societal misconceptions are among the more than 160 identified systemic obstacles that contribute to making that first step into sport difficult for a Para athlete

A 2022 Participation Survey by Blind Sports Australia (BSA) found that there is a strong appetite for blind and low vision sport, with 81 percent of respondents expressing interest in joining a sport that caters to their needs.

New South Wales Institute of Sport (NSWIS) Para Unit-supported athletes Ivy Walker and Zara Perry – two vision impaired Para athletes who are aspiring to represent Australia at a Paralympic Games – hope to change perceptions through their advocacy and performances on the world stage.

Walker is a Para Alpine skier who grew up playing a variety of sports including skiing, athletics, cricket and netball. While her vision impairment never diminished her enjoyment or determination, she noticed the barriers as her teammates progressed as she found it increasingly difficult to keep pace.

It wasn’t until the 14-year-old attended a blind sports camp that she realised there were pathways designed specifically for athletes like her.

“I got introduced to Blind Cricket and Para Alpine Skiing,” she said.

“I was like, ‘Wow, this is really cool! This is something that I really want to pursue with my life.’ And that’s where it started.”

Walker has since emerged as a five-time state and national Para Alpine skiing gold medallist, training at Perisher alongside guide Keisha Tickle and receiving strength and conditioning support from NSWIS Senior Practitioner Tim Rogers.

She was also a recipient of the NSW Government’s Ones to Watch – Women of the Year Awards for both her sporting achievements and advocacy work.

Walker said hearing stories from other members of the blind and low vision community her the self-belief to take that first step.

Joining the NSWIS Para Unit further strengthened that belief. Access to increased training opportunities and nutrition guidance has not only enhanced her performances, but also given the teenager greater confidence in her abilities.

“It’s really helped with my confidence in the sport because I know that I’m strong enough to be able to do it and perform better in my sport,” Walker said.

For Perry, however, one of the unique challenges of vision impairment is that many athletes can “blend in” to mainstream sport, delaying their introduction to Para pathways.

Born with albinism, the 20-year-old grew up playing a variety of sports before finding her place in Goalball and Para Alpine skiing. Now pursuing the dream of representing Australia at both a Summer and Winter Paralympic Games, Perry said the ‘invisible nature’ of low vision means many people never see the extra effort and adaptations happening behind the scenes.

“Some of the [barriers] for me were that a lot of sports are outdoors, particularly team sports,” she said.

“Because of my light sensitivity, I struggled to be outside for long periods of time and therefore I struggled to keep up with a lot of my peers.”

Perry also found mainstream sport could be difficult to navigate because much of the instruction was delivered visually.

“For someone who can’t see anything clearly unless I’m within about half a metre of it, that made it really difficult to feel confident in what I was doing.”

Unlike many Para sports, Goalball is one of the only Paralympic-exclusive sports, with no able-bodied or Olympic equivalent. The sport was designed specifically for athletes with vision impairment, with players relying on hearing and spatial awareness to locate a bell-filled ball.

But perhaps the greatest challenge, Perry said, has been overcoming how society stereotypes disability and sport.

“I think there’s a broader societal perception that just because I have a disability, I won’t be able to do it as well [in sport], and therefore I’m discounted off the bat and have to kind of fight my way back from that,” she said.

“People don’t see the invisible layers and challenges going on beneath the surface; they don’t see the extra work we put in just to appear in the world in the same way that someone without that challenge does.”

Walker understands why parents can sometimes be cautious when their children want to participate in sport.

“My parents were protective and never wanted me to feel left out or get hurt,” she said. “But through that, you can adapt. You can always adapt everything.”

Walker’s advice to parents is to have conversations with their children about whether they’d like to try sport.

“Talk to other parents and find people in the community who have gone through something similar,” she added. “See where they started and what could help you.”

As Perry’s Paralympic ambitions evolved from childhood dreams into realistic goals, she said the challenges have evolved too.

“[Once you make that change,] the barriers then become financial,” she said. “They become logistical in terms of being able to access training and the support that’s needed to perform at that same level.”

“To get to training at NSWIS, it can take me up to an hour and a half if I’m getting public transport.”

“So, a three-hour round trip to be able to train for an hour and a half and have a physio session, is absolutely invaluable. It’s making such a difference, but there’s an extra challenge as someone with low vision to be able to make it.”

Before receiving support, Perry often had to absorb additional costs simply to train safely. BSA’s 2022 Participation Survey found that 94 percent of individuals need transport to get to performance venues; the single largest obstacle for a person with a vision impairment to play sport.

“Sometimes a personal trainer will cost more than a gym membership, and that’s how I started before having NSWIS support – out of pocket support from local gyms – but I have to pay extra so that I can access the gym safely,” she said.

“Support [for me has been] covering those differences in cost and cutting transport times down as much as possible, which has meant that I can show up at tournaments and competitions more ready and fresh to compete.”

Perry’s sacrifices are being rewarded.  She has begun turning her dreams into reality. Part of the Aussie Belles Women’s Goalball team, she helped Australia claim bronze at the Trakai International Goalball Tournament in Lithuania earlier this year. She also continues to pursue Para Alpine skiing alongside guide Lara Gilson and receives strength and conditioning support from Rogers at NSWIS.

As Walker pursues her dream of representing Australia at the 2030 French Alps Winter Paralympic Games, the teenager is documenting her journey on social media in the hope of encouraging others to step outside their comfort zones.

“It’s important to show that not only people without a disability can do sport, but everyone can,” she said.

While Perry was born with her vision impairment, she acknowledges that many people acquire low vision later in life and may face a different journey.

“I can’t speak directly to the lived experience of someone who’s acquired a disability, because I was born with mine,” she said. “But I think there’s a sense of loss and grief that they don’t necessarily have space to talk about.”

“I’m lucky enough that I’ve had early intervention; sport, community, and role models with disabilities since I was really young. [People who have acquired a vision impairment later in life] haven’t necessarily even had exposure to other people with blindness until they lost their sight.”

Perry believes sport can play an important role in helping people rediscover what is possible.

“Sport can be an incredible enabler in reminding them that they’re still capable, they’re still human, and can be independent and achieve things.”

Images: Rachel Tingey, NSWIS

Tags Ivy WalkerZara Perry

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