Sarah Clifton-Bligh

EVENTS:  F32 Shot and Club Throw

AGE:  20 (DOB 19 Jan 2004)

COACH:  Louise Sauvage

CLUB:  Sydney University

STATE: NSW

AUSTRALIAN TEAM SENIOR DEBUT: 2018 Commonwealth Games

PERSONAL BESTS: Shot 5.94m (9 Mar 2024), Club Throw 16.59m (14 Mar 2024)

BIOGRAPHY

In her Australian debut in Birmingham, in the T34 100m, Sarah, 18, placed fifth in a time of 22.71 seconds. In 2023 she was selected in three events for the Para-Athletics World Championships, placing seventh in all three events. In the T34 100m she recorded 22.75 after a heat time of 22.05. In the T34 800m her time was 2:36.45 and in the F32 shot 5.26m. 

At her second world championships in May 2024 in Kobe, Japan, she again lined up in the same three events. She improved to fifth in the 100m (23.84) and 800m (2:51.48), while again finishing seventh in the shot put (5.28m).
  
For her Paralympic Games debut in Paris, Sarah will compete in the F32 Shot and a new event the Club Throw. She has been making good progress in her speciality the shot, this year reaching a PB of 5.94m.

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Sarah Clifton-Bligh started her journey in athletics when at Primary school - aged eight. 
“I threw shot put from my day chair and I started on the track in my day chair as well, before borrowing a multisport chair and then getting a proper race chair,” recalled Sarah.
 
She explained she was unable to compete in Little athletics.
“Our local centre uses a grass track (unfortunately), which doesn’t work for race chairs.”
 
Over the next decade, the versatile athlete competed in all the track events and throws. Although her debut was in the 100m, she continues to compete and win national titles in the throws and endurance events.
 
Sarah has one of the sport’s very best ‘in her corner’ as her coach. 
“My track coach is Louise Sauvage. She is a role model not just as an athlete and a coach but as a person. For example, Lou drives a car with hand controls and seeing that, I know that I will be able to as well. It’s also how much she gives back to the sport. She is there every Saturday morning at 8 am pushing us all to do better, rain, hail or shine. So she's more than just a coach, she's as a role model for life.”

Hero: Everyone! All the Paralympic wheelchair racers, people like Angie Ballard, Lou Sauvage, Eliza Stankovic and Kurt Fearnley who are amazing and awesome and give so much back to the sport and to junior athletes, in particular…Advice to your young self: Have fun, don’t stress so much! And don’t overthink stuff, just do it and keep going, even if it’s hard work…Hobbies: I like reading, listening to music, cooking and I have a passion for sewing and designing clothes that are accessible for people in wheelchairs. Can a hobby be sleeping? I like sleeping as well!...Education: Year 12 in 2022…Interesting fact: Her favourite book is Lord of the Rings and she can answer any trivia question on the book…Sporting family: her brother has played first grade rugby union, sister is an Australian champion gymnast, an uncle was a top swimmer and cyclist who became a professional triathlete.

@ 23 Aug 2024 David.tarbotton@athletics.org.au