Bupa Try Para Sport Series Builds Pathway to Brisbane 2032
The Bupa Try Para Sport Series returns in 2026, helping people with disability try Para sport and take their first step towards the Paralympic Games.
Australia’s next generation of Paralympic athletes could be discovered in local sports centres, with the Bupa Try Para Sport Series returning in 2026 to give people with disability the chance to try Para sport and take the first step towards the Paralympic Games.
Following the momentum of the Milano Cortina 2026 Paralympic Winter Games, attention is already turning to the next generation of Australian Paralympians.
Delivered by Disability Sports Australia (DSA) in partnership with Paralympics Australia (PA) and supported by Bupa, the national series will visit 10 locations across Australia between 28th March and 3rd May, introducing participants to a range of Para sports and connecting them with coaches, classifiers and local sporting pathways. The initiative is designed to open the door to sport for people with disability - while also helping identify emerging talent as Australia looks toward the Brisbane 2032 Paralympic Games.
The impact of the program is already being seen. During the 2024 Bupa Try Para Sport Series, around 350 people registered, with 225 participants attending events nationwide. From those events, 52 athletes were referred into Australian Institute of Sport Future Green & Gold Talent Pathway, connecting them with high-performance opportunities.
One of those emerging athlete is Cameron Wales, a wheelchair rugby player who has progressed rapidly through the development pathway and was recently named in the extended squad for the Australian Steelers, Australia’s national wheelchair rugby team.
After sustaining a spinal injury while travelling overseas several years ago, Wales returned to Australia and saw sport as a key part of his rehabilitation. Attending Bupa Try Para Sport introduced him to the world of Para sport - a moment that ultimately set him on a new athletic pathway.
Wales said the event was a valuable experience for him.
“The Bupa Try Para Sport event helped me see sports that I didn’t even know existed for people with disability,” Wales said.
“Being able to try things and speak with athletes already involved in different programs helped me understand the breadth of pathways that were available to me. Through the event, I was able to discover what I enjoyed about each sport and connect with people who champion Para sport, leading me to wheelchair rugby.”
Paralympic canoe champion Curtis McGrath OAM, a Bupa ambassador, said programs like Try Para Sport play a vital role in helping people discover opportunities they may never have considered.
“For many Paralympians, the hardest part isn’t training or competition - it’s simply discovering the sport in the first place,” McGrath said.
For many Paralympians, the hardest part isn’t training or competition - it’s simply discovering the sport in the first place.
“Programs like Try Para Sport give people the chance to try different sports, meet athletes and coaches, and realise there is a pathway for them. That first experience can change everything.”
The program comes at a time when participation gaps remain significant. According to the Australian Sports Commission’s AusPlay data, only 14% of people with disability participate in sport weekly, compared with around 30% of people without disability. Research from Paralympics Australia also shows 75% of people with disability want to play sport but feel there are limited opportunities to do so.
Paralympics Australia CEO Cameron Murray said the Bupa Try Para Sport Series plays a crucial role in changing that.
“Programs like Bupa Try Para Sport help remove barriers and create clear pathways into sport,” Mr Murray said.
Programs like Bupa Try Para Sport help remove barriers and create clear pathways into sport.
“The results from the 2024 series were incredibly encouraging, with dozens of participants now progressing into the Future Green & Gold pathway. With Brisbane 2032 on the horizon, initiatives like this are essential for identifying the next generation of Paralympic athletes.”
Disability Sports Australia CEO Ayden Shaw said the events are designed to make Para sport accessible for people at all stages of their sporting journey.
“Bupa Try Para Sport is about creating welcoming environments where people with disability can explore sport without pressure,” Shaw said.
“For some participants it’s their first experience with Para sport. For others it may be the moment they discover a Para sport they want to pursue seriously. Either way, the goal is to help people connect with local grassroots opportunities and communities that support them.”
Bupa Chief Sustainability & Corporate Affairs Officer, Roger Sharp said supporting programs that improve access to sport with local grassroots opportunities aligns with Bupa’s broader commitment to health and wellbeing.
“Sport has the power to improve physical health, mental wellbeing and community connection,” Mr Sharp said.
“By supporting the Bupa Try Para Sport Series alongside Paralympics Australia and Disability Sports Australia, we’re helping create more opportunities for people with disability to get involved in sport, and potentially uncover the next generation of Paralympic athletes.”
The 2026 Bupa Try Para Sport Series will begin in Darwin and the Gold Coast on 28th – 29th March, before travelling to Canberra, Melbourne, Perth, Sydney, Adelaide, Hobart, Brisbane and Wollongong.
Participants aged 10 years and above will have the opportunity to try a range of sports including:
- Wheelchair rugby
- Para rowing
- Wheelchair tennis
- Para athletics
People with disability interested in participating can register for their local event here.
