Australia’s top players with an intellectual impairment (PWII) will compete at the Virtus Global Games in France next month. Victoria’s own Carla Lenarduzzi features in the nation’s 11 player squad.
The Virtus Global Games are the world’s largest elite sports event for athletes with an intellectual impairment and take place every four years. Australia won the last tournament when it was held in Brisbane in 2019.
Teams from more than 50 countries will compete in the 2023 Virtus Global Games. across sports such as tennis, athletics, basketball, cycling, equestrian, futsal, handball, judo, karate, rowing, swimming, table tennis and taekwondo.
The French city of Vichy hosts the 2023 event from 4-10 June.
“This year’s team is a big team, and we are really proud of that,” said Head Coach Alison Scott.
“We have been world champions since 2015, so we are very confident going overseas. The team is very well prepared and well trained, which is brilliant.
“It is the first year players in the II-3 category, which is players on the autism spectrum, have been able to compete in the games, and we are excited to take two players from this category overseas to compete.
“We have been really looking forward to this moment, because we feel Australia is ahead of the game in the II-3 category. We have been really supporting players on the autism spectrum in Australia, so we are so excited to have this opportunity, and hopefully we can build on this and grow more competition from here.”
Good luck to Carla and team Australia as they aim for another Virtus Global Games victory!
Australian team:
Women
| Name | Suburb | Australian Ranking |
| Kelly Wren | Engadine, NSW | II-1 Singles – #1
II-1 Doubles – #2 |
| Carla Lenarduzzi | Camberwell, Vic | II-1 Singles – #4
II-1 Doubles – #1 |
| Breanna Tunny | Alexandra Hills, Qld | II-1 Singles – #3
II-1 Doubles – #8 |
| Andriana Petrakis | Allenby Gardens, SA | II-1 Singles – #2
II-1 Double – #3 |
Men
| Name | Suburb | Australian Ranking |
| Archie Graham | Newton, Qld | II-1 Singles – #1
II-1 Doubles – #2 |
| Mitchell James | Burpengary East, Qld | II-1 Singles – #1
II-1 Doubles – #1 |
| Luke Barker | Kedron, Qld | II-1 Singles – #5
II-1 Doubles – #4 |
| Damian Phillips | Coffs Harbour, NSW | II-1 Singles – #6
II-1 Doubles – #7 |
| Timothy Gould | North Lakes, Qld | II-2 Singles – #1
II-2 Doubles – #1 |
| Hunter Thompson | Bahrs Scrub, Qld | II-3 Singles – #1
II-3 Doubles – #2 |
| Simon Ma | Bella Vista, NSW | II-3 Singles – #2
II-3 Doubles – #2 |
Classifications in the PWII pathway: II-1 (Intellectual Disability), II-2 (Down syndrome), II-3 (Autism).
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