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: