EMILY JANSEN - AUSTRALIA'S FIRST WINTER WOMAN
9 March 2006
Melbourne Water's own Emily Jansen has become Australia's first female winter Paralympian after qualifying for two events at the IX Torino 2006 Paralympic Games, which start with the Opening Ceremony on Friday (tomorrow).
Emily 28, from Geelong in Victoria, is a process engineer at Melbourne Water's Western Treatment plant. She has been skiing competitively for only two years.
Diagnosed with a rare form of bone cancer in 1997, Emily will be competing in the single leg amputee section.
She has qualified for the giant slalom (standing) and slalom (standing).
Staff where she works were "over the moon" when told she had qualified, Emily's manager Brad McLean said.
"This is a great effort and a truly deserving result for a young woman who has put in a lot of hard work," Mr McLean said.
"Emily has come back from a knee injury last year to post exceptional results to finally gain selection.
"We're encouraging all our Melbourne Water employees to support Emily and the whole Australian Paralympic team."
Emily is one of 10 in the Australian Paralympic Winter Team, which will compete at on the same courses as those used at the recently completed Winter Olympics at Sestriere Colle, Italy.
Follow the progress of the Australian Team in Torino by watching the ABC, Monday - Friday between 1800 and 1830 AEST and Saturdays and Sundays between 17:00 and 18:00 AEST. ABC 2 (digital) will provide additional coverage from 20:00 AEST for the duration of the Games. Coverage on the ABC and ABC 2 will commence with the Opening Ceremony at 1700 AEST on Saturday 11 March 2006 and conclude on Monday 20 Match 2006.