Making the most of every opportunity

When it comes to providing motivation, Karni Liddell represents proof that outstanding success can be achieved out of adversity.

Born with the debilitating disease, Spinal Muscular Atrophy, the advice provided by doctors to Karni’s parents was that the outlook was bleak and that they should not expect too much.

Twenty-two years later, Karni is a champion and one of Australia’s most successful Paralympians, having represented Australia in swimming at Atlanta and having taken out a bronze medal at the Sydney Paralympics in 2000.

Karni is a former world record holder and currently holds Australian records in all her contested events. She is now in full training for Athens 2004.

Karni was diagnosed with the degenerative disease Spinal Muscular Atrophy at 12 months of age and the doctors told her parents that it was unlikely their child would walk, crawl or even see her teenage years.

Karni’s success has been borne out of her parent’s refusal to accept that their daughter could not have a normal life and that determination has been reflected in Karni’s own approach to her life, her sport and her career.

It is axiomatic of the Karni Liddell approach that the title of her address to the convention is ‘Tough times don’t last, tough people do’.

Karni will be discussing the journey of her life, the hardships she has confronted and how, when you’re thrown something tough, you overcome it.

She says that her experiences in overcoming her disability at the Paralympics have given her a passion for ensuring that people with disabilities are not stereotyped and not confronted by closed doors.

“If people have the determination to succeed at the elite level of sport despite their disabilities, then they have the determination to succeed in all walks of life and doors shouldn’t be closed to them,” Karni says.