This July Ella Pardy will return to the Australian Para Athletics Team for her fourth consecutive year. Having debuted in 2014 at the Glasgow Commonwealth Games, Ella has been one of Australia’s most durable para athletes, fighting through the highs and lows of the sport.
Ella will compete for the first time at the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park on the 15th of July where she is set to contest both the T38 100m and 200m. Having run at the 2015 Doha IPC World Championships, Ella and mum Priti admit she is excited to be back in the team.
“It's a great honour. The standards go up every time, so it becomes even more special to be able to achieve selection for the team.” Pardy said.
“I love representing my country. Every training session can seem cut off from everything else, but it's all a step closer to being part of something huge. I received a massive pile of letters from school children all over Australia before and after Rio, with well wishes before my events and congratulations after winning my medal. They are so special to me and knowing how much support I have, makes me strong and confident.”
Her journey from Australian debutant to Paralympic medalist in Rio was almost completely sidelined back in July 2013 when Ella broke her ankle. A promising athlete before she broke her ankle, Ella’s career could have been over before it began. However thanks to her family and coaching support, Ella returned with conviction.
“[I broke my ankle] in July 2013. [But when I returned] I nearly broke the world record at that time by 0.06 [in February 2014] when I ran competitively for the second time. That performance gave me total belief in myself of what I could do, and maybe a lot of others too. So success after feeling so vulnerable is great for self-esteem.”
The support and her ability has seen her compete at a Commonwealth Games, a Paralympics and a World Championships. However her journey is far from over. Ella started the year qualifying for the Rio Paralympics with an Australian T38 100m record, breaking her own record in a time of 13.06 at the Perth Track Classic. She followed up with a bronze medal in Rio, alongside Isis Holt, Jodi Elkington-Jones and Erin Cleaver in the 4x100m relay. Ella ended 2016 with her first international medal and Australian records in both the T38 100m and 200m. Not resting on her laurels, Pardy continued her impressive form at the 2017 Australian Athletics Championship in Sydney.
“(Nationals) was a confidence boost. Taking home the gold for the 200m and running a B qualifier into such a strong - 5.1 head wind, and showing that I can still mix it with the best of them. (Since Nationals) the focus has been on getting stronger in the gym and translating that into explosiveness and power out of the blocks, changing a few technical aspects of my race.”
2017 was further buoyed by selection in Australia’s team for Nitro Athletics where Ella proved to be a team and crowd favourite.
“Nitro was a totally awesome experience. The stadium was electric and being part of Team Australia and having a stadium full of supporters cheering us on was like riding a massive wave. The wonderful crowd cheering me on carried me to the finishing line. The emotion was overwhelming. I loved every minute of it and truly hope I can be part of Nitro again.”
The animated sprinter hopes she can replicate the experience and bring it to London for the World Championships.
“I'm totally pumped and feel I've grown with every experience. I'm going to London where I was born, but I'm there to show what a lucky country Australia is and what the Aussies can do."
Ella’s impressive 2017 season means she heads to London ranked as a possible medalist. However for the 26 year old sprinter, execution and the clock will be the focus.
“My goals are to execute the race as I have been in training, focusing on a fast start, and as always for any sprinter is to run faster. I absolutely want to run under 13 second. It’s something I know can make happen with the work I've put in and to get the placing I want.”
Ella is set to compete at the 2017 World Para Athletics Championships in London on 15th of July, with the Championships set to run from the 14th-23rd of July. You can follow all the athletics action here and on Athletics WA and Athletics Australia’s social media channels.
Photo Credit: Robert Prezioso/Stringer/Getty Images