Louise Sauvage

Louise Sauvage OAM (b. 1973) dominated international wheelchair track racing from the early 1990s. Born in Perth with congenital myelodysplasia, Sauvage sped to public notice at the 1992 Barcelona Paralympic Games, where she won three gold medals and one silver. The only Australian to win gold on the track at the Atlanta Paralympic Games (with four medals), she lit the flame at the opening ceremony of the Sydney Paralympic Games in 2000, and went on to win two gold medals and one silver. She also won gold in demonstration events at the Atlanta and Sydney Olympics. She has set five world records and gained eleven World Championships, and has won the women's wheelchair division of the Boston Marathon four times. Named World Disabled Sportsperson of the Year at the inaugural Laureus international sports awards in 1999, Sauvage is now a sports coach and motivational speaker, stressing that 'you never know what you can achieve until you try'.