Chasing down Paralympic dreams at the FIS Development Camp

Aaron McCarthy is a Para Snowboard athlete who has been selected to attend the FIS Development Camp from 11 to 16 November in Manchester. 

After losing his leg in a farm accident in 2021, Aaron thought snowboarding was something he would never be able to do again, but after years of hard work and dedication he is now preparing for his first development camp.  

“It's an amazing opportunity and I'm really looking forward to it,” McCarthy said. 

“I am hoping to learn a bit more about my snowboarding prosthesis and how to get the best out of it, and to further develop some of the skills I have been working on during the domestic season to prepare for my first international race in Landgraaf at the end of November.”

In his journey to return back to the snow following his accident, Aaron was accepted into an ‘Ossur Mobility Clinic on the Snow’, where he met Joany Badenhorst and learnt how to snowboard with a prosthetic leg. 

“In 2023, I attended as many para snowboard development camps as I could to progress my skills, which were run by Snow Australia and Disabled Wintersport Australia (DWA),” he said. 

“Then, in 2024 I was selected to be on the emerging talent program and my family and I made the move to Jindabyne for the season so I could commit to a full time program on snow.”

Selection to attend the development camp is another step forward for Aaron in his journey to represent Australia in a Paralympic Games. 

“Representing Australia in the green and gold is the dream, and there is no better stage to do that then the Paralympics” he said.

“Since the day I lost my leg I have wanted to compete at the Paralympics.

“Now that I have found the sport for me, which has had success at the Paralympic level, I am reminded that this is possible and there is absolutely no reason why I can't achieve these things if I put my absolute best into it.”