Angie Ballard Explained

Angie Ballard
Headercolor:green
Textcolor:yellow
Full Name:Angela Ballard
Nickname:Angie
Sport:Paralympic athletics
Nationality:Australian
Club:ACTAS
Collegeteam:The University of Sydney
Birth Date:6 June 1982
Birth Place:Canberra, Australian Capital Territory
Height:1.71 m[1]
Weight:NaNkg (-2,147,483,648lb)[2]

Angela Ballard (born 6 June 1982) is an Australian Paralympic athlete who competes in T53 wheelchair sprint events. She became a paraplegic at age 7 due to a car accident.

She began competing in wheelchair racing in 1994, and first represented Australia in 1998. Over six Paralympic Games from 2000 to 2020, she has won four silver and four bronze medals.[3] She has been coached by Louise Sauvage and trained with Madison de Rozario.[4]

Ballard held athletics scholarships at the Australian Institute of Sport from 1999 to 2001, and The University of Sydney (while studying first commerce and then psychology), and also represents the ACT Academy of Sport. She has been appointed by a number of organisations as a disability or sports ambassador, and currently sits on the board of Wheelchair Sports NSW.[5]

She has been selected for the 2024 Paris Paralympics - her seventh Games. [6]

Personal

Ballard was born on 6 June 1982[7] in Canberra.[8] At the age of seven, she became a (T10) paraplegic after a car accident, when her mother lost control of the car through fatigue.[9] [7] [10] [11] Following the accident, her initial hospitalisation and rehabilitation was in Canberra for three months, among elderly amputees.[9] [8] Her rehabilitation was then moved to the Royal North Shore Hospital, where she met Christie Dawes (née Skelton), who she would later race with in the Australian 4x100 m relay team at the 2008 Beijing Paralympics.[9] [12] She attended Lyneham Primary School and Lyneham High School in Canberra.[13] Her physical education teacher was one of the people who first encouraged her to participate in wheelchair sports.[14] After her rehabilitation she tried swimming and wheelchair basketball.[11] Her first experiences of racing at the age of 12 resulted in blisters and a sore neck,[15] but wheelchair athletics soon became her passion.[11] At age 14, after treatment for scoliosis, Ballard was unable to participate in sport for a year.[9]

She was offered a scholarship with the ACT Academy of Sport[16] and she then took up an athletics scholarship at the Australian Institute of Sport in Canberra from 1999 to 2001.[10] In 2002, she moved to Sydney to attend university on a sports scholarship, initially studying commerce.[17], she was living in Liberty Grove, New South Wales and attending the University of Sydney studying for a Bachelor of Psychology,[7] with the intention of practising as a psychologist.[9] She graduated and received an Alumni Award in 2014.

Athletics

Ballard is a wheelchair racing athlete, competing mainly in category T53 sprint events.[7] Compared to T54 athletes, she has less use of her abdominal muscles, which means she cannot raise herself as much in her wheelchair to get the best angle to propel herself forward.[8]

Ballard first entered competitive wheelchair races in 1994, at the age of twelve.[7] [11] Her first racing wheelchair was bought second hand.[14] By 1997, she started taking the sport more seriously[11] and began setting records in Australian athletics for her classification.[10] A year later she was representing her country on the international stage.[7] By 2000, she held national records in the T53 100 m and 200 m events.[10]

From 2002 she held a sports scholarship at the University of Sydney, where she was coached by Andrew Dawes (Christie's husband).[9] [18] At the time, Dawes also coached Louise Sauvage,[19] and on occasion the two would train together.[11] After Sauvage retired from competitive wheelchair athletics following the 2004 Games, she became Ballard's coach.[11] [20]

In 2021, she is coached by Fred Periac.

Paralympics

Ballard competed in Sydney in the 2000 Summer Paralympics but did not win any medals,[21] placing fourth in both the 100 m and 200 m events;[22] she was also a torch bearer,[23] and featured in the entertainment section of the opening ceremony, where she circled the track 12.3m (40.4feet) in the air, suspended by a blimp and giant inflated angels.[24] [25] In preparation for the 2004 Athens Paralympics, Ballard trained six days a week[8] in 11 sessions. Her training included going to Centennial Park and training on the hills there. It also included track work twice a week and doing weight training at least three times a week.[8] This training schedule caused a few injuries, so she reduced the training frequency for later Games.Just before the Games, she competed in a warm up event in Switzerland, and set Australian records in the 100 m, 400 m and 800 m events.[26] At the 2004 games, she won a bronze medal in the T53 100 m, behind Tanni Grey-Thompson and Francesca Porcellato.[21] [27] Her goal for the 2008 Beijing Paralympics was to set a personal best,[28] but she also had eyes on a medal.[29] She took the year off her psychology degree to train six times a week.[29] At the 2008 games, along with her teammates Christie Dawes, Madison de Rozario, and Jemima Moore, she achieved her best Paralympic result, winning a silver medal behind China's world record in the T53/54 4x100 m relay.[7] [21] [30] In the individual events, she finished fifth in the women's T53 100 m event (a race won in world record time by Huang Lisha[31]), seventh in the women's T53 200 m event (also won in a world record time by Huang[32]), seventh in the women's T53 400 m event, and led out the women's 800 m final, eventually finishing sixth.[33] [34] After a couple of sub-par competition results in 2011, Ballard made big changes to her diet, gloves, technique, chair position, and training regime.[35] She entered the 2012 London Paralympics ranked world number one in both the T53 100 m and 200 m.[36] At the games, Ballard participated in the T53 class events for 100 m, 200 m, 400 m and 800 m events. She won two silver medals in the 200 m and 400 m T53 events, and a bronze medal in the 100 m T53 event.[21]

At the 2016 Rio Paralympics, she won bronze medals in the women's T53 100 m and 400 m.[37]

At the 2020 Tokyo Paralympics, she was a finalist in the women's T53 100 m, 400 m, and 800 m. She came 7th in 100 m, 7th in 400 m and 7th in 800 m.[38]

World championships

In August 1998, Ballard competed at the International Paralympic Committee World Championships in Birmingham, England, where she was part of the gold medal-winning Australian women's 4 x100 m and 4x400 m relay teams.[10] Both relay wins set long-standing world records. In the 2002 World Championships, she won gold in the 100 m.[9] At the 2013 IPC Athletics World Championships in Lyon, France, she won silver medals in the Women's 100 m, Women's 200 m and Women's 800 m T53 and a bronze medal in the 400 m T53.[39] [40] [41]

At the 2015 IPC Athletics World Championships in Doha, Ballard won gold medals in the Women's 200m T53 in a championship record time of 29.33 and the Women's 400m T53.[42] After winning the 400 m, Ballard said: "This is the one I wanted. I was so nervous coming in, you try and tell yourself that the worst thing that can happen is a loss and starting again tomorrow, but the reality is that this matters so much. I was so scared before the race, perhaps it gave me the adrenalin to get it done. I've just worked so hard for this for so long."[43] She also won a bronze medal in the Women's 800 mm T54 behind gold medallist Madison de Rozario.[44]

At the 2017 World Para Athletics Championships in London, England, she won the silver medals in the Women's 100 m and 200 m T53 events and finished fourth in the Women's 400 m T53 and sixth in the Women's 800 m T53 .[45]

At the 2019 World Para Athletics Championships in Doha, she finished sixth in the Women's 100 m T53 and Women's 400 m T53 and eight in the Women's 800 m.

At the 2023 World Para Athletics Championships in Paris, she finished fourth in the Women's 800m T53 and sixth in the Women's 400m T53.[46]

In the inaugural Paralympic World Cup in Manchester in 2005, Ballard placed third in the Women's T53 100 m.[47]

Commonwealth Games

At the 2006 Commonwealth Games in Melbourne, she finished sixth in the Women's 800m T54. She won the gold medal in the Women's 1500m T54 at the 2014 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow. At the 2018 Commonwealth Games at the Gold Coast, Queensland, she won the silver medal in the Women's 1500m T54 finishing behind Madison de Rozario.[48] She repeated her 2018 result, by winning the silver medal in Women's 1500m T54 at the 2022 Commonwealth Games, again behind de Rozario.de Rozario

Australian titles

Ballard won the 100 m women's wheelchair open title in 1998, 2001, 2002, 2004, 2005 and 2008, and finished second in 2000, 2003, 2010, and 2011. In the 200 m event, she won gold in 1998, 1999, 2001, 2002, 2004, 2008 and 2010, silver in 2000 and 2005 and bronze in 2006. In the 400 m, she won gold in 1999, 2000, 2001, 2005, 2008 and 2010, silver in 2004 and bronze in 2002 and 2006. In the 800 m, she won gold in 1999 and 2001, silver in 2000 and 2005, and bronze in 2002 and 2004. In the 1500 m, she won gold in 2005 and 2010.[49]

In 1999, she competed at Australia's Junior Wheelchair Nationals. She won five gold medals at those games and was named the event's Female Athlete of the Games.[10]

Ballard won a gold and silver at the 2011 Sydney Track Classic.[50] [51] At the 2012 competition, Ballard set personal bests and Oceania records for the 100 m (in a time of 17.27 s), 200 m (30.12 s) and 400 m (56.89 s) events.[52]

Long distance events

Ballard also sometimes competes in longer distance events, in which the disability classifications are usually combined, so she competes against athletes in the higher T54 classification.[9] She represented Australia in the 800 m (T54) at the 2006 Commonwealth Games,[53] [54] [55] placing 6th in the final.[56] At the 2014 Glasgow Commonwealth Games, she won a gold medal in the 1500 m T54.[57] She has also raced in and helped organise[15] the 10 km Oz Day wheelchair race, placing 2nd in 1999,[10] 3rd in 2005,[58] and 3rd in 2012.[59] In 1998, together with Louise Sauvage, Christie Skelton, and Holly Ladmore, she completed an 845km (525miles) relay from Byron Bay to Bondi Beach, which raised $200,000 for disabled athletes.[60]

World records

Advocacy and patronage

Ballard has been appointed as an ambassador or advocate by a number of organisations with an interest in people with disabilities, sport, health, or exercise. In 2000, she was selected for Team MAA (Motor Accidents Authority), to discuss road trauma with other young people.[65] In 2005, she was appointed as an ambassador for Technical Aid to the Disabled. She helped recruit volunteers, attended fundraisers, posed for photos and showed them her medal.[66] [67] Later that year she also visited patients at the Westmead Children's Hospital alongside a number of celebrities to help them celebrate Christmas.[68] In 2007 Ballard was chosen as an ambassador for Walk to Work Day.[69] She is on the board of the Wheelchair Sports Association of New South Wales.[5] [70]

Alongside a number of other university-affiliated athletes, Ballard attended a press conference to oppose the introduction of Voluntary Student Unionism.[71]

Recognition

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Biography – Ballard, Angela. Melbourne 2006 Commonwealth Games Corporation. 2006. 23 April 2012. https://web.archive.org/web/20120421153949/http://melbourne2006.com.au/Participants/Participants?ID=109778. 21 April 2012. dead. dmy-all.
  2. Web site: Athlete profiles – Ballard, Angela. athletics.com.au. Athletics Australia. 23 April 2012.
  3. Web site: Angela Ballard – Athletics | Paralympic Athlete Profile. 2021-09-25. International Paralympic Committee.
  4. Web site: Clement-Meehan. Lindsay. 27 January 2012. Straight eight has Fearnley eyeing Paralympic gold – National News – National – General. 26 February 2012. Blacktown Sun.
  5. Web site: WS NSW Board. 27 February 2012. Wheelchair Sports NSW. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20120319033330/http://www.wsnsw.org.au/ws-nsw-board.html. 19 March 2012. dmy-all.
  6. Web site: 2024-07-16 . Fearnley Protégé Among Newest Members Of Australian Paralympic Team Paralympics Australia . 2024-07-22 . www.paralympic.org.au . en-AU.
  7. Web site: Angie Ballard. Australian Paralympic Committee. 4 November 2011.
  8. Web site: 12 November 2011. University of Sydney. Sydney athletes selected for Athens. Graham. Croker. 12 March 2004.
  9. The Road to Beijing – Angela Ballard (athletics). Deborah. Schofield. PQ News. May 2008. 27 February 2012. 10–11.
  10. Web site: Angie Ballard. Motor Accidents Authority. New South Wales, Australia. https://webarchive.nla.gov.au/awa/19991008000000/http:/www.maa.nsw.gov.au/paralympians/For_13-25/Angie/Default.htm. 8 October 1999. 1998.
  11. News: 23 April 2012. Australian Broadcasting Corporation. Angie Ballard: Forging a partnership with legend Sauvage. Australia. 14 September 2008. Olivia. McGrath.
  12. News: Huebner . Barbara . For Aussie Wheelchair Racer, a Home-Course Advantage . ING New York City Marathon Daily . Nyrrmedia.org . 31 October 2011 . 26 February 2012 .
  13. Web site: SEAL handbook – Sporting Excellence at Lyneham. 7. Lyneham High School. 2011. 27 February 2012. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20120317190440/http://www.lynehamhs.act.edu.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0008/172826/SEAL_Booklet_2012.pdf. 17 March 2012. dmy-all.
  14. Web site: 12 November 2011. Broken back paves way to Paralympics. Australian Sports Commission. 11 October 2000. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20110329170219/http://fulltext.ausport.gov.au/fulltext/2000/ascmedia/20001011b.html. 29 March 2011. dmy-all.
  15. News: Inner West Courier. Champion Angie in the fast lane. 18 January 2011. 18 April 2012. 23. https://archive.today/20121231054634/http://digitaledition-innerwest.innerwestcourier.com.au/default.aspx?iid=44584&startpage=page0000023%23folio=022. 31 December 2012. dead. Rashell. Habib.
  16. Web site: Angie Ballard. Sydney University Sport and Fitness website. 23 January 2016. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20110224111507/http://sydneyunisport.sitesuite.cn/page/beijing_olympian_ballard_angela.html. 24 February 2011. dmy-all.
  17. Web site: Sydney University sends team of 17 to Athens Olympics. 27 July 2004. 27 February 2012. The University of Sydney.
  18. Web site: 24 February 2011 . https://web.archive.org/web/20110224111507/http://sydneyunisport.sitesuite.cn/page/beijing_olympian_ballard_angela.html. Beijing Olympian Angela Ballard . Sydney Uni Sport & Fitness. 2008.
  19. Dawes dazed by career curve. Sports Coach. 24. 2. 2001. 23 April 2012. Australian Government – Australian Sports Commission.
  20. Louise Sauvage: elite wheelchair track and field coach. Sports Coach. 29. 4. 2007. Sharon. Phillips. 23 April 2012. Australian Government – Australian Sports Commission. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20120328110035/http://www.ausport.gov.au/sportscoachmag/profiling_coaches2/louise_sauvage_elite_wheelchair_track_and_field_coach. 28 March 2012. dmy-all.
  21. Web site: Angela Ballard . Paralympic.org . . 4 March 2012.
  22. News: Glebe and Inner City news. Medal winner earns a break. 21 October 2004. 48. Nationwide News.
  23. News: Paralympic flame fires athletes' hopes. Illawarra Mercury. 4. 6 October 2000. 22 June 2012. Fairfax.
  24. Web site: Sydney spectacular – Paralympics begin with festive Opening Ceremonies. 18 October 2000. 4 March 2012. Luba. Vangelova. CNN Sports Illustrated.
  25. News: The Courier Mail. 19 October 2000. Low-flying blimp lifts the crowd. 6. Nationwide News.
  26. News: Angie on a golden roll. Glebe and Inner City news. 16 September 2004. 64.
  27. Web site: Tanni races to gold. Elizabeth. Hudson. BBC Sport. 23 September 2004. 4 March 2012.
  28. News: Australian Broadcasting Corporation. 12 November 2011. Angie Ballard is not putting too much emphasis on medals and is aiming for personal best times in Beijing.. 14 September 2008. Sydney, Australia.
  29. News: Medal dreams. The Queanbeyan Age. James. Buckley. 11 April 2008. 4 March 2012.
  30. Web site: Aust adds silver and double bronze to medal haul. 17 September 2008. 4 March 2012. ABC Grandstand Sport.
  31. Web site: Aussies sprint to golden trifecta. 17 September 2008. 4 March 2012. Olivia. McGrath. ABC Grandstand Sport.
  32. Web site: Francis, relay team add to gold tally. 16 September 2008. 23 April 2012. Olivia. McGrath. ABC News.
  33. Web site: Colman narrowly misses bronze. 16 September 2008. 4 March 2012. ABC Grandstand Sport.
  34. Web site: 12 November 2011. Angie Ballard grabs silver. 19 September 2008. Robyn. Ainsworth.
  35. Web site: Angie Ballard heads to London in form. 29 August 2012. 31 August 2012. David Tarbotton and Ron Bendall. Athletics NSW. dead. https://archive.today/20121128061856/http://www.nswathletics.org.au/news/index.cfm?fuseaction=NewsItem&NewsID=27295. 28 November 2012. dmy-all.
  36. News: Inner West Courier. Paralympics 2012: Next stop gold for Camperdown's Angie Ballard. 24 August 2012. 27 August 2012. Oliver. Murray. news.com.au.
  37. Web site: Angela Ballard . Rio Paralympics Official site . 11 September 2016 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20160922201850/https://www.rio2016.com/en/paralympics/athlete/angela-ballard . 22 September 2016 .
  38. Web site: Athletics: BALLARD Angela. 2021-09-25. Tokyo 2020 Paralympics . Tokyo Organising Committee of the Olympic and Paralympic Games. 25 September 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20210925020933/https://olympics.com/tokyo-2020/paralympic-games/en/results/athletics/athlete-profile-n1415958-ballard-angela.htm. dead.
  39. News: IPC13: Australian medal tally bolstered by Ballard and Henly. 21 July 2013. athletics.com.au. Athletics Australia. 23 July 2013.
  40. News: IPC13: Two silver & two bronze won in Lyon. athletics.com.au. Athletics Australia. 24 July 2013. 24 July 2013.
  41. News: IPC13: Ballard wins third SILVER. athletics.com.au. Athletics Australia. 26 July 2013. https://archive.today/20130726185553/http://www.athletics.com.au/home/news/news/2013/july/ipc13_ballard_wins_third_sil . 26 July 2013.
  42. Web site: Doha 2015. athletics.com.au. Athletics Australia. 23 October 2015. 23 October 2015.
  43. Web site: Doha 2015. athletics.com.au. Athletics Australia. 26 October 2015. 26 October 2015.
  44. Web site: Doha 2015. athletics.com.au. Athletics Australia. 28 October 2015. 28 October 2015.
  45. Web site: Ryner. Sascha. Three from three for Turner as Team Australia finish with 28 medals. athletics.com.au. Athletics Australia. 24 July 2017. 23 July 2017.
  46. Web site: 12 July 2023 . Turner Burns to Glory as Debutants Deliver | Day Three World Para Athletics Championships . 18 July 2023 . Athletics Australia.
  47. Web site: Paralympic World Cup results. 22 May 2005. 4 March 2012. BBC Sport.
  48. Web site: Angela Ballard . 2018 Commonwealth Games website . 6 June 2018 . 5 December 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20211205205030/https://results.gc2018.com/en/athletics/athlete-profile-n6029543-angela-ballard.htm . dead .
  49. Web site: Tactics end Renshaw's reign. Graham. Croker. 18 April 2011. 27 February 2012. 21 March 2012. https://web.archive.org/web/20120321181915/http://www.susf.com.au/app/articles/articles/view/athletics-australian-championships-renshaw-ballard-17-4-11. dead.
  50. Web site: Dani Samuels and Angela Ballard gold . Sportstar.com . 21 March 2011 . 26 February 2012 . 23 March 2011 . https://web.archive.org/web/20110323143148/http://www.sportstar.com/dani-samuels-and-angela-ballard-gold . dead .
  51. Web site: 2011 " Sydney Track Classic – Australia's premier athletics meet – Saturday, 18 February 2012 . Athletics New South Wales . 18 February 2012 . 26 February 2012 . 20 February 2012 . https://web.archive.org/web/20120220150406/http://sydneytrackclassic.com/results-2/2011/ . dead .
  52. Web site: Summer Down Under – Wheelchair Sports NSW . Wsnsw.org.au . 26 February 2012 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20120317023759/http://www.wsnsw.org.au/summer-down-under.html . 17 March 2012 . dmy-all .
  53. Web site: Commonwealth Games – Day 1 results. Rebecca. Lane. 17 March 2006. 27 February 2012. Sydney Uni Sport.
  54. News: Dawes plans to outsmart big guns. 21 March 2006. Newcastle Herald. Fairfax. 34. 22 June 2012. James. Gardiner.
  55. News: Relaxed Eliza is ready to roll rival. Newcastle Herald. 46. Fairfax. 22 March 2006. James. Gardiner.
  56. News: Day 9 Competition Results. Newcastle Herald. Fairfax. 51. 25 March 2006. 22 June 2012. G. R..
  57. Web site: Angela Ballard wins para-1500m gold, Kurt Fearnley claims silver. ABC News. 1 August 2014. 1 August 2014.
  58. News: The Australian. 27 January 2005. Sauvage protege nails third place. Margie. McDonald. Nationwide News.
  59. Web site: Eight straight for wheelchair racing great. 26 January 2012. 26 February 2012. Australian Paralympic Committee. Rebekka. Wake. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20120321215257/http://www.paralympic.org.au/news/eight-straight-wheelchair-racing-great. 21 March 2012. dmy-all.
  60. News: Daily Telegraph. Big push ends for brave quartet. 30 November 1998. 15. Jonathan. Porter. Nationwide News.
  61. Web site: Australia's Angela Ballard smashes 400m world record. International Paralympic Committee. 29 May 2015. 31 May 2015.
  62. Web site: IPC Athletics World Records. PDF. International Paralympic Committee website. 23 January 2016.
  63. Web site: Athletics world records tumble in Arbon. International Paralympic Committee News. 5 June 2015. 23 January 2016.
  64. Web site: Ballard celebrates birthday with a new WR. New South Wales Institute of Sport News, 8 June 2016. 15 June 2016.
  65. Web site: Motor Accidents Authority. New South Wales, Australia. Team MAA 2000. 12 November 2011. 2000. https://webarchive.nla.gov.au/awa/19991008000000/http:/www.maa.nsw.gov.au/paralympians/For_13-25/Default.htm. 8 October 1999.
  66. Web site: The Weekly Times Online . Weeklytimes.com.au . 26 February 2012 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20091008125916/http://www.weeklytimes.com.au/2005/05_may/25_05_05/storyhh_09.html . 8 October 2009 . dmy-all .
  67. News: Northern District Times. Her fans know she'll win gold. 15 March 2006. 6.
  68. News: Parramatta Advertiser. 7 December 2005. Christmas in their smiles. 12. Nationwide News.
  69. News: Inner-West Weekly. Angie signs up for charity. 27 September 2007. 4. Nationwide News.
  70. Web site: Interview with Angie Ballard, Wheelchair athlete . Sportstar.com . 28 September 2010 . 26 February 2012 . 6 June 2011 . https://web.archive.org/web/20110606043534/http://www.sportstar.com/interview-with-angie-ballard-wheelchair-athlete . dead .
  71. News: Athletes come out swinging over student unionism. The Sydney Morning Herald. 20 April 2005. Matthew. Thompson. 27 February 2012.
  72. Web site: Mickle, Tallent win big at awards. athletics.com.au. Athletics Australia. 15 November 2013. 19 November 2013.
  73. Web site: Athlete of The Year. athletics.com.au. Athletics Australia. 23 October 2014. 5 November 2014.
  74. Web site: Alumni honoured at achievement awards. The University of Sydney. 22 October 2014. 21 October 2014.
  75. Web site: 28 August 2023 . Superb Athletes And Fierce Advocates: Australia's Paris 2024 Co-Captains Named . 28 August 2023 . Paralympics Australia.

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