Aussie gold medallist Lauren Parker makes daring Winter Games bid
Aussie fans are used to seeing Lauren Parker conquer the pavement, clinching Paralympic gold medals in triathlon and cycling.
Now, the unstoppable 36-year-old is proving her champion spirit runs deeper, tackling a dramatic new challenge — one that takes her completely off dry land.
Seven years after a traumatic bike accident left Parker with paralysis from the waist down, the former professional triathlete arrived at Paris 2024 and rewrote the record books.
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Gold medallist Lauren Parker gleams with pride after winning the H1-4 road race at the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games. Michael Steele/Getty Images
At the Games, Parker became the first Australian since 1976 to claim Paralympic gold in two different sports in a single Games.
First, the Newcastle product clinched gold in the PTWC para-triathlon, beating her closest rival by a dominant 92 seconds.
Then, three days later, she took victory in the H1-4 road race, finishing an incredible four minutes and 11 seconds ahead of her closest competitor.
Parker left Paris with two golds and a silver, having also claimed second place behind the USA's Katerina Brim in the H1-3 para-cycling individual time trial.
Now, following this historic success, Parker is making the switch from her successful summer sports to the winter sports of cross-country skiing and biathlon ahead of the Milano Cortina 2026 Paralympic Winter Games.
"I just like to make the most of opportunities, and the opportunity came up that I could have potential in the sport of cross-country skiing and biathlon in snow sports," she told Nine's Today on Thursday, marking 100 days until the Winter Paralympic Games.
Lauren Parker and James Turner present the Australian flag as flag bearers during the closing ceremony of the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games. Tullio M. Puglia/Getty Images for IPC
"So, I thought, you know, I always love a challenge, and I just chase challenges, and this is one of them."
Remarkably, Parker revealed that she only started training on snow in July.
"That was my first time ever on snow," she said.
"So, it's very new, but I'm being thrown into a few races over the next few weeks in Canada."
New to the winter sports arena, Parker acknowledged her immediate and intense training schedule, a stark contrast to the seasoned approach she takes with her other sports.
"It is so different. Like, I'd never been on snow until July, so it's much more slippery than my other sports," she said.
Lauren Parker races to victory during the H1-4 road race at Paris 2024. Michael Steele/Getty Images
"Just learning new equipment and getting used to different snow conditions have been the biggest challenges. But I'm improving every day.
"I'm on snow here in Canada, and I'm actually racing in my first competition tomorrow. It'll be a 5km cross-country ski race, so that's where the journey starts."
This marks the start of Parker's intensive qualification process to secure her ticket to the Dolomites.
"So, I need to get these few races done, and next week I'll compete in a World Cup race, which I'll hopefully get some points towards my qualification," she said.
"I just need to do really well over these next few weeks and see where I place. If I need to, I'll go to Germany in January for the next set of qualifying races and see where I'm at, but fingers crossed, I qualify for the Winter Paralympics next year."
While a final, official international classification for Parker in these new sports will be determined by the relevant governing bodies, she will almost certainly compete in one of the sitting classes (sit-ski group).
Parker will race using a specialised sled attached to skis, relying on her arm and upper body strength — much like she does when handcycling in her summer sports.
