User:Melissa Carlton/Hodgetts makes it a Tassie trio for London 2012 Paralympic Games

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{{tasks|news|re-review}} June 9, 2012

Todd Hodgetts' selection in the Australian 2012 London Paralympics Athletics team means Australia’s smallest state, Tasmania, will field its largest number of competitors since the 2000 Sydney Paralympics. Hodgetts joins fellow Tasmanians Matthew Bugg (sailing) and Roger Massie (head coach – table tennis), already selected for the Australian team for the upcoming Paralympics. In the Athens 2004 Paralympics there were no Tasmanians, and the 2008 Beijing Paralympics saw Dominic Monypenny as the sole Tasmanian representative.

Hodgetts, an athlete with an intellectual disability has been competing for Australia since 2005. He is the current world record holder in the F20 shot put event and one of Australia's best gold medal chances in athletics. The Spanish team's cheating scandal at the Sydney 2000 Paralympics meant Hodgetts' ambition to compete at the Paralympics has been in limbo while events for athletes with an intellectual disability were on hold. The re-introduction of events for athletes with an intellectual disability at the 2012 London Paralympics means Hodgetts is finally able to achieve his dream and make his first appearance at a Paralympic games.

Sailor Matthew Bugg will also be making his Paralympic debut at this year's games. He was selected earlier this year by the Australian Paralympic Committee to compete in the 2.4mR (single-person keel boat) sailing class. Bugg, who is currently ranked 18th in the ISAF world sailing rankings, has been busy competing in the Sailing World Cup series as a lead up to the Paralympics. In the 'Skandia Sail for Gold' world cup event held this week, one of the final events prior to the games, Bugg finished 13th in his class gaining invaluable competition experience.

The 2012 London Paralympics will be the first for Roger Massie in his role as section manager for table tennis. Massie took over the reigns as head coach of the table tennis Paralympic Preparation Program (PPP) after the 2008 Beijing Paralympic Games.



Sources[edit]

Category:Sports | category:Australia | Category:Oceania | Category:Paralympics | Category:2012 Summer Paralympics