Nearly six months after the motorbike crash that changed his world, Daniel Forssman is adjusting to life as a wheelchair user. 

The 24-year-old Darwin man was paralysed during an accident while visiting Kakadu National Park with his mates.

A new goal is now helping him power through his rehabilitation: to make it to the Paralympic Games.

“Not long after I woke up in the ICU, Mum said that if I can get to LA in 2028, she’ll take me to Vegas afterwards,” Mr Forssman said.

He took part in the Australian Sports Commission’s first strength and speed testing session in Darwin this week, as part of a nationwide search to develop Paralympians for the 2032 Games in Brisbane.

The Future Green and Gold program will visit every capital city in Australia over the coming months, in conjunction with state sports development academies.

The Australian Sports Commission said more than a third of this year’s Paris Paralympics team was first scouted in talent searches like the Future Green and Gold program.

NT Paralympians pave the way

Northern Territory Paralympian Judith O’Hearn, née Green, said professional pathways have not always been so viable for para-athletes.

She spent six years training in the pool every day alongside her full-time job as a teacher to reach the Sydney 2000 Games.

“We didn’t get any financial support to do that — where at that time Olympic athletes did have some funding and sponsorship,” Ms O’Hearn said.

Despite winning gold for Australia in the S6 class 100 metre breaststroke, she said she didn’t make the front page of the NT News until her medal was stolen — and then returned — a few months later.

“Quite often people have asked about what I thought about getting a medal and honestly that wasn’t the important thing for me,” Ms O’Hearn said. 

Today, the Future Green and Gold events will link athletes with development initiatives, such as the Northern Territory and South Australia Para Futures program.

Paralympics Australia pathways specialist Natalie Charlton said the program was nation-leading.

“They’re able to have conversations with athletes and their entire support network – including athletes, coaches, family, allied health services – and understand what it is that would best support that athlete,” Ms Charlton said. 

The program helped 14-year-old aspiring Paralympian swimmer Sahrah Hancock develop her speed in the pool and supported her to travel interstate to compete.

“It’s hard because there’s not many classes or multi-class swimmers in Darwin,” Ms Hancock said.

“In Darwin I normally compete with the able-body [class], which is my times posted to their times.

After being selected to attend the National Para Swimming camp, where Ms Hancock competed against other athletes in her own S6 class, she wants more teenagers to have access to similar opportunities.

Disability Sports NT business unit manager Sam Cunningham said improving access for young people with a disability from remote parts of Australia was a high priority.

“There’s so much more to it than just being active. It’s that healthy lifestyle but also social as well.”

Ms O’Hearn said even more teenagers with difference or disability could aspire to elite competition if barriers were addressed.

“If you want to go do weights and workout sessions, there are very few gyms which have accessible work-out equipment,” she said.

“Awareness is still a big thing — there’s lots of things happening out in the community that are available but most people don’t know about.”