Thursday, 19 October 2023

 Jess WILSON (Kew) (09:46): I am delighted to speak about two very talented people today, Sophie Nichols and Jordan McCormick, both of whom are in the gallery this morning. Sophie and Jordan were part of Team Australia at the Special Olympics World Games in Berlin, Germany, in June this year. Sophie has been part of the Balwyn Gymnastics Club since she was eight years old, training hard for many years to compete in the Special Olympics. All that hard work paid off with Sophie winning two gold medals and a silver medal – an amazing effort. Jordan played in the Australian women’s B-grade basketball team at the Special Olympics, and they brought home the bronze medal. Jordan was the highest pointscorer for her team, scoring three-pointers, which brought the house down.

I have had the privilege to get to know these very special young women through the Kew Neighbourhood Learning Centre. Can I acknowledge the incredible work that KNLC’s executive manager Barbara and her team do to empower young adults with a disability to reach their full potential. It would be fair to say that both Sophie and Jordan live their lives every day as per the Special Olympic oath:

Let me win. But if I cannot win, let me be brave in the attempt.

Sophie, Jordan, you have made your country very, very proud and are role models for young women right across Australia.