Triathlon Australia welcomes AIS funding boost

Australia’s Paralympic triathlon program is set to receive a funding boost from the Australian Institute of Sport (AIS), with the AIS yesterday announcing more than $3 million in additional funding in 2021-22 towards 13 Paralympic sports, including triathlon.

As the Paralympic program continues to push ahead towards next year’s Tokyo Paralympics, Triathlon Australia welcomes the significant boost in funding from the AIS, which will see paratriathlon receive an increase in funding alongside 12 other Paralympic sports including wheelchair basketball, cycling, paddle, equestrian, rowing, wheelchair rugby, table tennis, shooting, swimming and bowls.

The announcement forms part of yesterday’s commitment from the AIS of more than $115 million towards Olympic, Paralympic and Commonwealth Games sports for the 2021-22 financial year; an investment welcomed by Triathlon Australia.

Speaking on the announcement, Triathlon Australia National Performance Director Justin Drew welcomed the ongoing support from the Federal Government.

“We’re very grateful to Sport Australia, the Federal Minister for Sport Senator Richard Colbeck, the Australian Institute of Sport, and Paralympics Australia for their ongoing support of our Paralympic program,” Drew said.

“This additional investment in our Paralympic program is a huge vote of confidence in the direction our program is headed, and will be key in ensuring our capacity and capability to achieve at Tokyo 2020 and Birmingham 2022.”

Yesterday’s announcement follows an increase in funding towards both Triathlon Australia’s Paralympic Program and the Athlete Engagement and Wellbeing program from the AIS earlier this year.