User:Melissa Carlton/Hodgetts makes it a Tassie trio for London 2012 Paralympic Games

news June 9, 2012

Todd Hodgetts' selection in the  Athletics team means Australia’s smallest state,, will field its largest number of competitors since the. Hodgetts joins fellow Tasmanians Matthew Bugg (sailing) and Roger Massie (head coach – table tennis), already selected for the Australian team for the upcoming Paralympics. In the there were no Tasmanians, and the  saw  as the sole Tasmanian representative. Hodgetts, an athlete with an intellectual disability has been competing for Australia since 2005. He is the current world record holder in the F20 shot put event and one of Australia's best gold medal chances in athletics. The Spanish team's at the  meant Hodgetts' ambition to compete at the Paralympics has been in limbo while events for athletes with an intellectual disability were on hold. The re-introduction of events for athletes with an intellectual disability at the means Hodgetts is finally able to achieve his dream and make his first appearance at a Paralympic games.

Sailor Matthew Bugg will also be making his Paralympic debut at this year's games. He was selected earlier this year by the to compete in the 2.4mR (single-person keel boat) sailing class. Bugg, who is currently ranked 18th in the world sailing rankings, has been busy competing in the Sailing World Cup series as a lead up to the Paralympics. In the 'Skandia Sail for Gold' world cup event held this week, one of the final events prior to the games, Bugg finished 13th in his class gaining invaluable competition experience.

The will be the first for Roger Massie in his role as section manager for table tennis. Massie took over the reigns as head coach of the table tennis Paralympic Preparation Program (PPP) after the 2008 Beijing Paralympic Games.