This post follows on from my previous post called ‘The Road to Paris 2024’ (published 30th July 2023), which you can find here: https://www.invacare.com.au/support/news/road-paris-2024-susan-seipel

As I write this blog there are less than 40 days to go until the Paralympic games in Paris (August 28th to September 8th). I am happy to share that I qualified for the games at the 2023 World Championships in Germany by winning a bronze medal in outrigger canoe and placing 5th in the kayak. I was honoured to be announced onto the Australian Paralympic Team on April 13th 2024 with two other athletes for Paracanoe.

I am extremely excited to be going to my 3rd Paralympic Games in such a beautiful and historical city. The opening ceremony of the Paralympic games will take place on August 28th at the Place de la Concorde, which is a large square at the end of a famous road called the Champs-Elysees. According to Wikipedia, the site was built in the 18th century and played a role in the French revolution by hosting notable public executions, including Marie Antoinette! Obviously, there was little consideration for disability access at the time it was built, so many upgrades have been made in order to host the Paralympics. Hopefully this will leave a legacy of accessibility in the city for many years to come.

Other historical venues being used for the games include the Para Equestrian to be held at the Chateau de Versailles, Para Archery at Invalides, Para Taekwondo and Wheelchair Fencing at the Grand Palais, and Blind Football under the Eiffel Tower. Paracanoe will be held at a relatively modern venue (built in 1989) called Vaires-sur-Marne Nautical Stadium, which will also host the Para rowing.

So, what does it take to train for the Paralympics? It’s intense! I train on water 6 days a week with one day off to rest and recovery. On water sessions consist of a mixture of speed, speed endurance, power and skills such as start practise. I also do weights in the gym 2 -3 times a week. Luckily, I don’t do this alone and I have a support crew (including coaches, physiotherapists, and managers) that are just as committed to helping me achieve my best performance. Soon, our team will be heading to a pre-games training camp in Italy to get acclimatised before heading to Paris!

Follow my journey to the Paris Paralympic games on Facebook or Instagram @susanseipel.paralympian

About the Author:
Susan Seipel is a diverse para-athlete with a background in swimming, and equestrian, and is a triple World Champion in the sport of Paracanoe.
She won a bronze medal at the 2016 Rio Paralympic Games and was the first Australian in history to win a medal in Paracanoe at the Paralympic level. At the 2020 Tokyo Paralympic Games, Susan won a silver medal in the inaugural women’s canoe event. She is currently training for Paris 2024.
Outside of sports, Susan is a proud ambassador for RSPCA Queensland and is passionate about animal welfare. She is also studying Psychology at university.
http://www.susanseipel.com