Source : ABC NEWS
First Jessica Gallagher, then Melissa Perrine — Georgia Gunew could be next.
The 23-year-old from Queensland is backing herself to be the next woman to join Australia’s medal-winning vision-impaired para-alpine skiers.
Gunew is full of potential, wrapping her debut Paralympics outing with an 11th-place finish in the slalom event on Saturday (local time) just three years after she first started competitive skiing.
Finishing 10th in the giant slalom earlier in the week, Gunew and guide Ethan Jackson took on slalom as snow fell on the Cortina course for the first time since the competition started.
Touted as a future star for the Australian Winter Paralympic team and bestowed the honour of being the country’s opening ceremony flag bearer, Gunew is under no illusions of the expectations ahead.
After eight days of competition, Australia has two medals after four-time Paralympian and fellow flag bearer Ben Tudhope won SB-LL2 snowboard cross silver and banked slalom bronze.
Josh Hanlon will have one last shot to break through for his first Paralympic medal when he takes on the men’s slalom sitting event on Sunday — the final day of competition.
Melissa Perrine – with her guide Christian Geiger – was the last Australian para-alpine skiing medallist at a Winter Paralympics in 2018. (Getty Images: Lintao Zhang)
Australia hasn’t won an alpine skiing medal since four-time Paralympian Perrine claimed bronze in the women’s vision-impaired super-combined and giant slalom at the 2018 PyeongChang Games.
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Four-time summer and winter Paralympian Gallagher won a slalom bronze medal at the 2010 Vancouver Games, before taking giant slalom bronze at the following 2014 Sochi Paralympics.
But Gunew isn’t short of support, with Perrine close by as her physiotherapist.
“Oh my gosh, she’s up at the start gates there, and it is insane just having a physio that knows everything,” Gunew said on Saturday.
“Like even today, she had the towel to wipe our goggles down.
“She knows the ins and outs of ski racing and then again, VI ski racing.
“She’s such a good role model, and just having her to talk to every day is insane.”
Gunew had thought a future in field hockey was ahead of her before her vision loss accelerated in her teens due to the genetic condition Stargardt’s macular dystrophy.
The 22-year-old was a recreational skier but hadn’t thought about competing in winter sports until her grandmother saw an advertisement for Snow Australia.
Gunew joined the national team in 2023 after her burgeoning career was put on hold due to COVID-19.
Asked of the little girl who was forced to give up hockey, Gunew said: “She wouldn’t believe me if I told her, but she would just be in awe.
“And I hope that other little girls can look up to me like I looked up to Mel and Jess.
“Now, I feel like I’ve learned how to be an athlete — learned how to eat, sleep, all the external things.
“We’re going to have come leaps and bounds, hopefully, in four years’ time.”
Gunew, who only competed in slalom and giant slalom in Italy, hopes to add downhill and super-G to her program at the 2030 French Alps Games.
“Ethan’s favourite is speed, so he’s been patient with me. We’ll rip into that hopefully,” Gunew said.
“We’re all going to be in the French Alps. Ethan’s going to be there, I’m going to be there.”
Jackson chipped in: “I don’t have a choice.”
Gunew isn’t the only woman hoping to add to Australia’s Paralympics medal haul, with 16-year-old Liana France finishing 14th in the women’s giant slalom standing.
“Well, France in France would be pretty awesome,” France said.
AAP
