Bay Paralympian competes in another World Games

IN JUST the space of three years, vision-impaired Raissa Martin went from a recreational goalball player to a Paralympic athlete. She has promised herself to never let her limitations limit her, and so far she has kept that promise by having competed in two Paralympics, Rio2016 and Tokyo2022.

Now one of the oldest players on her team at 32 years of age, Raissa was gearing up to compete again with the Aussie Belles at Goalball on 18 August at this year's 2023 IBSA World Blind Games.

“It’s a new team with only two players from the Tokyo games,” said Raissa.

She is driven by her goal for her third Paralympics in Paris 2024 and in the memory of her mother who passed away last year. 

“She was so proud of me…… and she is always with me,” said Raissa.

Raissa was born in Hervey Bay and attended Pialba Primary and Hervey Bay High School. She couldn’t compete in local sports because of being vision impaired, but athletics was her chance to shine. 
She attended eight state championships and gave the skills she uses today.

“I learnt how to train and loved the running from 100 metres to 800 metres.” 

At this year's World Blind Games, she will be a part of the largest ever blind and low vision team competing on the international stage. Her first ever national representation in Goalball was at the 2015 world games. 

This year, the games are in Birmingham, playing at many venues that held the Commonwealth Games last year.

“This shows how far our sport has come along that we play in some fantastic stadiums,” said Raissa.

Hervey Bay can be proud of Raissa Martin for representing Australia and inspiring many other youngsters for Brisbane 2032 so that they too can represent their country.