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Para Futures Cup provides a taste of Brisbane: Nunnari

Daniel Lane

NSWIS Media

Sydney 2000 Paralympic Games silver medallist Paul Nunnari has welcomed today’s launch of The Para Futures Cup — six years to the day before the symbolic cauldron lighting for the Brisbane 2032 Games — as a golden opportunity for Para athletes to shine on home soil.

Nunnari, a Para Transition Lead Coach with the New South Wales Institute of Sport Para Unit, said the October tournament at the Australian Institute of Sport (AIS) in Canberra will give 70 competitors aged 13 to 32 valuable experience in a team environment.

“It’s a great stepping stone for future Para athletes to gain valuable experience, build lasting friendships and understand what a team environment is all about,” Nunnari (main photograph and wearing glasses) said. “They’ll learn fundamental high-performance principles and carry them into their training and competitions. It’s a wonderful opportunity, and I’m really excited to be part of what NSWIS is delivering.”

The Para Futures Cup is a collaboration between the Australian Sports Commission (ASC) and Paralympics Australia, supported by the National Institute Network (which includes NSWIS). The cup is part of the nation’s most focused effort to grow Para sport and create more opportunities for current and future Paralympians.

The build-up to the Brisbane 2032 Paralympic Games has been unprecedented in Australian Paralympic sport, including:

Record Australian Government funding to improve access to coaching, equipment, classification, training environments and athlete support.
Para Sport Units established in every state and territory since Para Uplift began in 2024.
Support for 150 new Para athletes.
A 75 per cent funding increase for most Para sport programs.
Additional support for hundreds of athletes through the AIS Para Athlete Barrier Fund.
$2.8 million in equipment support delivered to 100 individuals and 59 organisations through Paralympics Australia’s Para Sport Equipment Enhancement Program.

Marianne Loh, Head of the NSWIS Para Unit, has also praised The Para Futures Cup for providing athletes an insight into what a Paralympic Games involves.

“The Para Futures Cup is important because it exposes athletes to a multi-sport environment, which is what the Paralympics is all about — and for some, it may be their first experience of that setting,” she said.

In addition to Nunnari’s presence as a team coach, the NSW ACT team will be mentored by Andrew Edmonson OAM, a Paralympic gold medallist in wheelchair rugby.

“We’ll have coaches, physios, a dietician, Athlete Wellbeing & Engagement, and ‘Edmo’ as the team’s mentor — and the timing is ideal because he won a silver world championships medal over the weekend,” Loh said. “I’m excited to see the impact he’ll have on the athletes by sharing his experiences and insights.”

Nunnari said the Cup would also give younger athletes experience travelling to another city, meeting new people and competing nationally. He expects the benefits to extend well beyond the playing field.

“For many athletes, there will be a broad range of feelings,” he said. “For some, it might be their first time away from home or outside the support of their parents or caregivers. While that can be both daunting and exciting, I think the team environment will be a highly positive experience.”

“Then there are the more experienced Para athletes in the cohort who have travelled and competed in teams before. The Para Futures Cup gives them a great opportunity to step into leadership and mentoring roles, while building their skills as athletes, ambassadors and state representatives.”

Nunnari, who will join the NSW athletes in Canberra, said that while the competition aims to deepen the pool of Para athletes for Brisbane and beyond, he will also focus on another key message during his time with the team.

“This takes me back to when I was coming through and had the world at my feet,” Nunnari said. “Giving back through my leadership and helping them understand the opportunity they have is important, but so too is making sure they enjoy the journey, whatever it holds.”

“While The Para Futures Cup is focused on competition, it is also about engagement in Para sport. It is vital that athletes enjoy the opportunity to engage, then begin excelling in their respective competitions.”

One athlete set to bring speed and power to the NSW and ACT team is Illawarra-based rugby sevens sensation Maleia Jones. The 14-year-old, who was born with one forearm, impressed coaches – including Nunnari who described her as a ‘powerhouse’ -at last month’s NSWIS Para Transition talent identification camp in Wollongong.

Jones, who came through the Illawarra Academy of Sport, is regarded as one of the talent-rich region’s top youth rugby sevens players. In December, she will travel to Japan with the University of Wollongong under-15 junior team for the Asian Oceania Rugby 7s Festival.

Jones, who’ll be 20 when the Brisbane Games begin, sampled basketball, tennis and rowing, but told the Illawarra Mercury her favourite sports were athletics and cycling.

“I went to try it because I wanted to meet other Para athletes with similar disabilities to mine,” Jones said. “I wanted to see what potential I had in other sports and whether I could excel. There’s a lot of running in rugby sevens,” Jones said. “It takes endurance and speed, so I feel like that can help me with track and field.”

“I’ll start training in track and field, and I’ll keep playing rugby. I can compete, keep playing and keep doing everything I love now.”

ASC CEO Kieren Perkins OAM said there were big plans for The Para Futures Cup.

“The Para Futures Cup will give athletes the chance to compete, test themselves and experience what it takes to progress towards the green and gold,” Perkins said.

“This event is only the beginning. We want the Cup to grow as we approach Brisbane 2032 and eventually welcome athletes from neighbouring countries, including Pacific nations.”

“We thank the Australian Government and Minister [Anika] Wells for their continued belief in Para sport and commitment to giving our athletes every opportunity to reach their potential.”

Paralympics Australia CEO Cameron Murray said the Cup marked an important milestone for the athletes.

“For athletes competing at the Para Futures Cup, this will be an important step in their journey to becoming an Australian Paralympian,” he said. “This event will provide the chance to compete, learn from Paralympian mentors and from each other, and experience an environment designed to help them progress.”

“Brisbane 2032 will be a defining moment for Australian sport, and we want these athletes to have every opportunity to be part of it.”

NSWIS-ACT, Para Futures Cup