The former La Trobe students were part of the Australian Paralympics Team that finished in ninth position on the medal tally in Paris, with 18 golds, 17 silvers and 8 bronze.
For Kelly (Para-Swimming, Bachelor of Arts, 2021 graduate), Paris marked his fourth appearance at the Paralympics. The former La Trobe Elite Athlete Program (LEAP) member, who has overcome significant odds in his life just to represent Australia in the pool, had to overcome another sizeable obstacle in Paris to claim his second Paralympic podium of his career with a silver medal in the Men’s SM3 150m Individual Medley event.
After finishing second in his heat and qualifying for the final based on time, Kelly was perplexed to learn upon exiting the pool that he had been disqualified from the final after it was deemed by officials that he had swam butterfly instead of freestyle in the final leg.
The disqualification was protested by Swimming Australia and the decision was eventually overturned, allowing Kelly to take his place on the starting block for the SM3 150m Individual Medley final.
Not to be deterred by the potential distraction, the 32-year-old amputee swam a fantastic race to replicate his Tokyo 2021 Paralympics result in the same event, finishing with silver behind German Josia Tim Alexander Topf.
In an added case of déjà vu, Kelly was joined on the podium by fellow Australian Grant Patterson, who ironically also finished the SM3 150m Individual Medley final in third place in Tokyo three years earlier.
While other athletes may have found the disqualification and subsequent reinstatement a distraction too difficult to overcome, Kelly said he was able to put the potential burden to his Paralympic final preparation into perspective.
"I've had a unique journey, and you're right, a disqualification couldn't really throw me completely off the rails," Kelly said, speaking to Channel 9 after the final.
"I've gone through a lot worse and it's just been great to represent Australia in a Paralympic final. I can never get used to it; it's always a special thing to do.
"Once the decision was overturned it was all forward-focused for that final tonight (Paris time). It definitely did not impact that race at all. I gave it everything I had and tried to execute the race plan as best I could."
Kelly also made the final in the Men’s 50m Backstroke S3 event, where he finished in eighth place.
For Bridget Murphy (Para-Equestrian, Bachelor of Animal and Veterinary Bioscience - Honours, 2013 graduate), Paris was her first Paralympic Games experience.
The Australia Para-Equestrian team contained a distinct La Trobe flavour throughout the competition, with fellow La Trobe alumni Kate Arton (Bachelor of Animal Veterinary Bioscience – Honours) involved in a support staff capacity, fittingly as the groom of Murphy’s horse throughout her Paralympics campaign.
A field of 48 athletes from across 16 countries (including some of the world’s most experienced and decorated para-equestrian athletes) took to the spectacular Chateau de Versailles outdoor arena on the Etoile Royal esplanade.
Competing in the Grade II category, Murphy and her mare Penmain Promise (affectionately known as Macey) kicked off their debut Paralympic campaign with the Para Dressage Team Event. Competing with fellow Australian riders Lisa Martin and Stella Barton (and their respective steeds ‘Villagio’ and ‘Lord Larmarque’), Team Australia turned in impressive performances to finish 12th overall, with Murphy and Macey delivering a solid test score of 67.100.
Attention then turned to the Grade II individual events, where Murphy and Macey qualified amongst the top eight finalists in both the Individual Championship Test (registering a score of 66.724) and Freestyle Test (70.154), eventually finishing seventh overall in each of the respective events.
With the curtain coming down on Paris 2024, the La Trobe University community congratulates our Olympic and Paralympic athletes for their incredible performances over the past month and commends them for the way they have represented Australia on the world stage.
For more information on the La Trobe Elite Athlete Program, head to the La Trobe Sport website.
