• To Glasgow 2026

Fearnley scholarships awarded to rising para-sport stars

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Named in recognition of one of Australia’s most accomplished Paralympic and Commonwealth Games athletes, this year’s cohort of Kurt Fearnley Scholarship (KFS) recipients have ambitions to make their own marks on the world stage.

Commonwealth Games Australia (CGA), the Carbine Club of NSW (CCNSW) and the NSW Institute of Sport (NSWIS) are again offering individual scholarships for NSW future talent para-sport athletes with potential for the Glasgow 2026 Commonwealth Games.

Recipients will each receive $5000, supporting them to gain membership of a sport’s high performance program post scholarship, ultimately “fast tracking” their development to achieve success at Glasgow 2026 or subsequent Commonwealth Games.

Since the program’s inception in 2019, 15 scholarships have been awarded, with seven emerging athletes recognised as worthy recipients for the Glasgow 2026 cycle. As the Commonwealth Games incorporates a fully integrated program for able-bodied and para-athletes, this year’s cohort of athletes will have the opportunity to qualify for the Australian team in swimming and athletics.

Named after one of Australia’s most celebrated Commonwealth Games and Paralympic athletes, Kurt Fearnley AO was the first ever para-athlete to serve as flag bearer at the Commonwealth Games. With a career spanning three Commonwealth Games and five Paralympic Games earning numerous medals, Fearnley will mentor the cohort of KFS recipients.

To mark the start of their journey as KFS recipients, this year’s cohort were formally recognised at the CCNSW Champion’s Lunch and inducted into the program at a session facilitated by CGA.

Joined by Fearnley and a representative from NSWIS, recipients were exposed to key insights, stories and philosophies from one of Australia’s most celebrated and storied wheelchair racers.

Aimee Fisher, an emerging short distance T54 racer in athletics and previous KFS recipient, is keen to don the green and gold in Glasgow, following “a big evolution over the last few years on all fronts.”

As part of her aspiring journey to the games, she is seeking to qualify for this year’s Para-Athletics World Championships and represent Australia for the first time on the global stage.

Agonisingly close to qualification standards, Fisher is chasing an extra 0.05 seconds to achieve her goal.

“As kid that’s completely into their sport, that’s what you aspire too…sitting on the edge of putting on the green and gold, it’s right there in front of me, just in reach,” Fisher said.

Among the other KFS recipients leading into Glasgow 2026 are aspiring athletes from swimming and athletics, each with a trajectory to represent Australia on the world stage.

Meet the next generation of elite para-athletes – recipients of the Kurt Fearnley Scholarship – who are making waves in their sports with their remarkable talent, passion, and drive to represent Australia at the Commonwealth Games.

Kurt Fearnley Scholarship Recipients 2025/26:

 

Declan Budd
Declan Budd is an emerging S14 para-swimmer whose strong freestyle performances and recent success at the 2024 European Championships mark him as a rising star in Australian swimming.
Aimee Fisher
Aimee Fisher, a powerhouse on the track in the T54 class, is Australia’s top-ranked wheelchair sprinter and a returning Kurt Fearnley Scholar with her sights set on world championship debut.
Maddison Hinds
Ranked in the world’s top 10 for the S14 400m Freestyle, Maddison Hinds is a promising swimmer with national and international success already under her belt.
Aaron Houston
Middle and long-distance runner Aaron Houston has made his mark with gold medals, national titles, and a fierce commitment to representing Australia at the highest levels.
Beau Matthews
Beau Matthews, a dominant force in S10 para-swimming, continues to impress with consistent national number one rankings and a strong international presence.
Layla Sharp
World number one in the T38 800m, Layla Sharp is a driven young sprinter shifting her focus to 200m and 400m events as she chases global competition dreams.
Darren Sisman
Darren Sisman, a developing S14 swimmer and national Para Flippers squad member, continues to climb international rankings with standout freestyle performances.

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