The Melbourne Cricket Club wishes to congratulate and bid the best of luck to two MCC members who will represent a 10-person Australian Team at the Beijing 2022 Winter Paralympic Games.
Para-alpine skiers, Mitchell Gourley and Jonty O’Callaghan will represent Australia at their fourth and second Winter Paralympics respectively, which start on Friday March 4.Geelong-born Gourley is one of Australia’s most experienced Winter Paralympians, making his Games debut at the Vancouver 2010 games.
After being a strong medal fancy at the Sochi Games, a string of bad luck curtailed his performances after a strong lead-up season. However, being crowned at the 2017 IPC Alpine Skiing Worlds at Tarvisio in Italy, saw him be named co-Team Captain for the Australian Paralympic team at the PyeongChang 2018 Games.
His experience for the Australian team vital, Gourley will compete in the five disciplines of the Para-Alpine skiing event: Downhill, Giant Slalom, Slalom, Super-G and Super Combined, in the LW6/8-2 classification. Gourley’s impairment is a congenital left below-elbow limb deficiency.
Fellow skier O’Callaghan, will compete in all disciplines of the Para-Alpine skiing program aside from the Super Combined event, and in the LW9-1 classification.
The South Yarra-born Para-athlete, who competes with right-side cerebal palsy hemiplegia discovered his love of snow sports when his parents relocated and enrolled him at school in Switzerland.
After making his debut at the 2018 Games and finishing 22nd in the Men’s Downhill Standing and 23rd in the Men’s Giant Slalom Standing, O’Callaghan will be looking forward to improving his results.
The Para-Alpine skiing program will commence from Saturday March 5.
MCC MEMBERS AT THE BEIJING 2022 WINTER PARALYMPIC GAMES
Mitchell Gourley (Para-Alpine skiing)- Men’s Downhill – Saturday March 5, from 1.00pm AEDT
- Men’s Super-G – Sunday March 6, from 1.00pm AEDT
- Men’s Super Combined – Tuesday March 8, from 1.00pm AEDT
- Men’s Slalom – Tuesday March 8, from 5.15pm AEDT and Saturday March 12 from 1.00pm AEDT
- Men’s Giant Slalom – Thursday March 10 from 1.00pm AEDT
Jonty O’Callaghan (Para-Alpine Skiing)
- Men’s Downhill – Saturday March 5, from 1.00pm AEDT
- Men’s Super-G – Sunday March 6, from 1.00pm AEDT
- Men’s Slalom – Tuesday March 8, from 5.15pm AEDT and Saturday March 12 from 1.00pm AEDT
- Men’s Giant Slalom – Thursday March 10 from 1.00pm AEDT