Paralympic gold medallist Scott Reardon announces retirement

Athletics Australia would like to congratulate Paralympic gold medallist Scott Reardon OAM on his career, following his announcement that he will retire from elite competition.

One of the world’s most talented T63 sprinters, Reardon competed at three Paralympic Games and four World Para-Athletics Championships over an international career spanning a decade and amassed a total of six medals including; one Paralympic gold and silver from two Games, as well as three world titles and a world championship silver medal.

Growing up in the country town of Temora, NSW, sport has played a prominent role in Reardon’s life. After losing his right leg through the knee in a tractor accident, Reardon represented Australia at the Water-Skiing World Championships before being earmarked as a future champion on the track at a Paralympic Talent Search Day in 2006.

After first representing Australia at the 2011 IPC World Championships in Christchurch, New Zealand, Reardon won silver upon his Paralympic debut at the London 2012 Paralympic Games. From 2013 to 2017, the 31-year-old won four consecutive 100m titles at four consecutive global meets, and in that time clinched a world record, two Paralympic records and to this day, holds the World Para-Athletics Championships T42/63 100m record at 12.13.

The Canberra-based athlete announced his retirement today, stating:

“My retirement has been a long time coming. I’ve been preparing for retirement since 2017 as I knew the end of my career was coming closer, but it was important to me to finish my career at a Paralympic Games because it is the pinnacle of what we do,” Reardon said.

“To do that with (wife and fellow Paralympic gold medallist) Vanessa (Low) was the number one priority for me, as we had always dreamed of being on an Australian team together.

“I won silver at my first Paralympic Games in 2012 and won the next three World Championships and Paralympic Games consecutively. It’s nice to be remembered for success because it is pretty unique, but I really hope that when people look back at my career, they can see that if you dedicate yourself and put absolutely everything into it, regardless of your background – you can do amazing things.

“Hopefully the platform I was able to raise through athletics enabled me to be able to make a change in the perception of people with disabilities around the world, and I will continue to do that.”

Reardon credited his coach of 13 years, the esteemed Iryna Dvoskina for much of his success.

“To be with her for so long and to have the success that we did, means everything, and we did everything – we won one Paralympic championship, won world championships, world records and Paralympic records, and everything else in the book,” Reardon said.

“It takes a team to be able to be successful and we did some pretty amazing things together.”

Athletics Australia Chief Executive Officer Peter Bromley congratulated Reardon on his glittering career and thanked him for his contribution to the sport.

“Scott has an impressive haul of accomplishments under his belt and he should be incredibly proud of what he has achieved over a career that spanned an entire decade,” Bromley said.

“To be a Paralympic gold medallist is something only a select group of individuals can call themselves, but what has been most impressive about Scott is his dedication to his craft, his determination to succeed and his positive attitude on and off the track, which ultimately lead him to become a real leader within our Australian Para-athletics Team.

“I’d like to congratulate Scott on his achievements and thank him for his contribution to our sport. We wish him all the very best of the next chapter ahead.”

Athletics Australia GM, High Performance Andrew Faichney echoed Bromley's words, citing Reardon's tenacity as a driving force behind his success.

“Scott has enjoyed a remarkable career in athletics and his list of achievements is outstanding. Over the last decade, he has enjoyed every high that comes with the sport, but he’s also had setbacks including battling injuries which have previously taken him out of competition. To persevere, and still finish his career so highly ranked at a Paralympic Games is a testament to his mental toughness and determination to be the best athlete he can be," Faichney said. 

“While we are saddened to lose him from our team, I’d like to congratulate him on his significant achievements and thank him for such a great contribution to Australian athletics.”

By Sascha Ryner, Athletics Australia
Posted: 19/10/2021