Page Tools
Winner of 57 medals, now at the 2006 Commonwealth Games
17 March 2006
Julie Russell, the world class athlete from Adelaide South Australia, is one of only four people invited to be a Technical Delegate for the Melbourne 2006 Commonwealth Games.
Her role at the 2006 Games will be overseeing all aspects for the Elite Athlete with a Disability Powerlifting event and will involve advising the Commonwealth Games organisers on all aspects of how the event should be run. So far this has included testing the whole event, observing all venues, officials, and equipment, and then providing the results to the International Paralympic Committee.
'It will be an incredibly exciting time,' says Julie of participating at the Commonwealth Games. 'It is such an honour that the International Paralympic Committee has appointed me to this role.'
Previously Julie has competed internationally in five Paralympics, five World Championships, and two European Championships; winning 57 gold, silver and bronze medals in different sporting disciplines including pentathlon, basketball, weightlifting, athletics and more recently, powerlifting events.
In participating in the 2006 Games, Julie is on leave from her role as Western Adelaide's Regional Manager for CRS Australia, a role she has found just as fulfilling as competing at the highest level of sport.
As an Australian Government agency, CRS Australia delivers vocational rehabilitation services for people with an injury, disability or health condition, assisting them to obtain employment or to return to the workforce.
Starting as a client herself, and then moving into working for CRS Australia, Julie understands what it feels like on both sides.
'One of CRS Australia's strengths,' says Julie 'is having the ability to assess people's skills and talents, and then match those with suitable employment.'
As a toddler, Julie contracted Polio, an acute viral disease marked by inflammation and the loss of function of nerve cells in her spinal cord, causing paralysis in her lower body. Now Julie uses a wheelchair for all of her daily activities.
Julie's disability has certainly not been a hindrance to her love of sport and life, as she says, 'have a go at anything that interests you and don't let anyone tell you, 'you can't do it'.'
To find out how CRS Australia can help you or for more information please call us on freecall 1800 277 277.
Media contact
For all media enquiries please contact CRS Australia Marketing and Communications on 02 6211 6996.