The Olympic Games has kicked off in Paris, and to recognise the occasion, Rochester Sports Museum has unveiled a gold medal-worthy new exhibit.
Celebrating the region’s Olympic and Paralympic heroes, the display showcases memorabilia of three competitors at this year’s games.
The families of equestrian Simone Pearce, Paralympic swimmer Col Pearse and wheelchair rugby player James McQuillan each contributed awards, gear and apparel from the athletes’ careers.
Simone Pearce’s love of horses began in Rochester, where she would routinely ride at the Rochester Pony Club from a young age.
“She’d come (to the pony club) and the rule was you can come so long as you don’t get in the road,” Simone’s mum, Robyn, said.
“She wasn’t really a member at three so she’d ride around in the arena with every group all day on her pony and just steer him around and kind of keep out of the road.
“At three she could walk, trot and canter in an arena with no lead on and not holding on to anything — and I didn’t teach her that, she could just do that.”
Simone moved to Europe at the age of 17 for her gap year, eventually taking up a position as a groom in Belgium. It was a position that led to her taking up riding professionally.
“She’s been brave enough to move many times,” Robyn said.
“She’s lived in five countries over there, and every time she sees that one is limiting her potential, she’s brave enough to take off and go somewhere else, and she’s really caused her own future and her own success.”
The dressage rider will be competing in her second Olympic Games, after her first selection for Tokyo 2020.
Simone’s team includes another Australian connection, groom Emily Reudavey from Western Australia, who has worked with Simone for many years.
Another crucial component is Simone’s horse, Destano, whom she also rode in Tokyo.
The pair were separated for almost two years after a change in stables, but Simone and Destano were such a perfect duo that trainers had no choice but to reunite them in the lead-up to Paris.
Included in the museum display is Simone’s Tokyo 2020 team jacket, a competition-worn riding jacket and a selection of awards and equipment.
Bamawm swimmer Col Pearse will be chasing Paralympic gold at this year’s games after securing bronze in the 100m butterfly s10 in Tokyo.
Col will be competing again in that event, as well as in the 200m individual medley, where he is ranked number one in the world.
Included in the display are Col’s race-worn bathers, which cost $680 a pair, as well as his official team polo and ID from Tokyo 2020 and his commemorative plane tickets for the 2020 and 2024 games.
Col’s parents, Teena and Julian, said they appreciated the attention the display would attract for Paralympic athletes such as Col.
“(It’s) just making sure the world knows that para train just as hard, and in my book I think they train harder,” Teena said.
“You see these para athletes that compete at this level, you know that they’ve got more bad days than good days and the fact that they can get to training and put their body through what they’re doing, I think I think the paras deserve more.”
Ten years ago, former Echuca resident James McQuillan’s life changed for ever when he was left a quadriplegic after an incident playing football in Albury.
James has worked hard since that day to return to an independent life and in 2021 took up wheelchair rugby.
In less than a year, James was not only on the Australian squad but was crowned a world champion at the 2022 wheelchair rugby world championships in Denmark.
James, two and a half years into his career, is now gearing up for his first Paralympic Games.
Provided to the museum by parents Jo and Jack are James’ world championship medal, Asia Oceania Championship trophy, a Team Australia scarf and a competition-worn jersey.
The Rochester Sports Museum’s Olympics and Paralympics display is now open to the public.
The museum is open Thursday to Sunday or by appointment.