Tassie students bring home medals from the Australian Deaf Games

The Forestry Tasmania and Southern Cross Television Community Assist program sponsored a group of young deaf Tasmanian students to travel to the Australian Deaf Games.

Three young Tasmanians competed in the premier sporting event with 6 students travelling as spectators to gain inspiration from the athlete’s abilities to succeed despite their hearing loss.


Competing against the best deaf and hard of hearing athletes across the country and New Zealand our three students proudly returned home with two bronze medals and a fourth place.

Jarran Harris, from Rosny College, won third place in the 200 metre sprint on the track and Erin Turner from Launceston placed third in the 100 metre butterfly in the pool. Ross Jones took out 4th place in the javelin.

The Australian Deaf Games, held on the 3rd –11th January on the Gold Coast this year, is a valuable cultural and social event.

It provides an opportunity for Tasmania’s deaf and hard of hearing young people to gain inspiration from others in the same situation who have, despite their hearing, succeeded in achieving their goals.

With the appropriate support, such as providing alternative starting mechanisms to existing methods like the “starting gun”, deaf athletes could compete at an elite level in the international sporting arena.

Now these students can see what is possible to help them compete at an elite level and they can continue to lobby hearing sporting clubs to provide them with equal access to information and to allow them to have a fair go.

The Australian Deaf Games is held every four years around Australia. After experiencing the Games this year, 5 students have been inspired to set their sites on 2012 to participate as athletes.

For more information on the Forestry Tasmania and Southern Cross Television Community Assist Program contact Claire Bennett on (03) 6233 8244 or email claire.bennett@forestrytas.com.au
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