Aussie captain Batt says next generation of wheelchair rugby stars to be unearthed at Carrara next week
Australian and New South Wales wheelchair rugby legend Ryley Batt says next week’s Wheelchair Rugby National Championship at the Carrara Sports and Leisure Centre on the Gold Coast (24-26 June) will help spawn the next generation of Australian superstars.
And he should know.
The veteran warrior, who has snared two gold and one silver Paralympic medals from five Paralympic Games since he joined the Australian Steelers in 2002, says the annual championship provides an unmatched pathway for Australian talent identification.
“It’s been a disrupted two years on the international competition scene, but the Tokyo 2020 Paralympics was a bit of a re-start for us,” the national captain said.
“It was tough for us as the No.1 team in the world for the past decade to not have our regular dose of international competition in the lead-up to a big international event like that and in a few ways, it was like starting over – we were fairly rusty.
“But at the Canada Cup earlier this month in Vancouver we saw some awesome team improvement against eight of the toughest teams in the world and the signs going forward are all good,” he said.
Batt, who will lead NSW over the three Gold Coast competition days, says the nationals with the best players in Australia and New Zealand taking to the court are increasingly being recognised for their world standard of play.
“We (NSW) are reigning champions and we’ll be keen to keep that record intact, but it gets harder every year with the standard going up and up,” Batt said.
“I feel good physically at the moment – I’m doing a lot of gym work alongside my wife Crystal and I think I’ve had a solid preparation since getting back from Vancouver,” he said of a body that in the past has endured torn shoulders on both sides.
And Batt, the father of Lillian (18) and Aaliyah (16), said the sport has come along in leaps and bounds since he first picked up a ball and rolled all those years ago.
“We understand so much more about planning and strategy and the importance of being an elite athlete these days.
“Once upon a time there would be one or two dominant teams in the world with full-time training and competition plans and now there are 15 or so.
“And that will be reflected in the standard of domestic player that we’ll see at Carrara.
“Expect some stars to be unearthed,” he said.
Batt said he is indebted to his employer of 10 years, Suncorp GIO, who have helped no end with his ability to train and play nationally and around the world by offering flexible working hours.
“Honestly, I couldn’t do it without them,” he said.
The 2022 Wheelchair Rugby National Championship, supported by Major Events Gold Coast, begins at the Carrara Sports and Leisure Centre on Friday, 24 June 2022, with the bronze and gold medal matches to take place on Sunday, 26 June 2022.
Tickets – day tickets and whole event passes - are now available at https://www.trybooking.com/events/landing?eid=889850 and for further event information please visit www.wheelchairrugby.com.au
ENDS
Further information and media enquiries please contact:
Contact: Chris Nay (General Manager, Wheelchair Rugby Australia)
M: 0405 036 727
Wayne Hickson (Media Consultant)
M: 0407 028 917