Together with coach Misha Payne, the trio is fondly nicknamed “Team Blacktown” who are among 30 young and experienced swimmers heading to the Summer Olympics in one of Europe’s stunning cities.
Hodge, 23, of Kings Langley, will be competing at the Paralympics for the third time since his international record in 2016, while Osborn has qualified for the first time.
He boasts a total of 14 gold, bronze and silver medals in previous world and national swimming events, placing him a contender for Paralympic gold in the 200m individual medley.
He represented Australia in the Paralympics at Rio de Janeiro in 2016 and Tokyo in 2020, but his prowess first came with a silver in the 100m breaststroke and another silver in the 100m backstroke at the Commonwealth Games in 2018.
Hodge is currently the world record holder in the 200m medley, with a silver medal secured at Tokyo.
He took the gold medal at the Manchester 2023 World Championships for the same event, and “to win a Paralympic gold medal” at Paris this year is a dream to achieve, Hodge told the NSW Institute of Sports’ Lights Up latest edition.
“Being the world record holder has its challenges, everyone on the world stage is focused on you. You’re the one to beat so everyone’s going to try to train harder than you, swim faster than you,” he said.
In Paris, Hodge will compete in multiple events such as men’s 400m freestyle S9 class, men’s 100m breaststroke SB8 class, men’s 100m backstroke S9 class, men’s 200m individual medley SM9 class, men’s 100m butterfly S9 class and the mixed 4x100m medley relay.
Chloe Osborn, 20 of Rouse Hill, was diagnosed with Ewing Sarcoma at 12 years old which damaged her spine.
Rehabilitation through swimming was recommended by her physiotherapist and it’s become the sport that enjoys training up to six days a week.
She now makes her Paralympic debut in great competitive form, after she and Tim qualified at the National Paralympic Swimming Trials at Brisbane.
Osborn already won two gold medals in freestyle at the World Para Swimming European Open Championships last April. At Paris she will compete in the women’s 400m freestyle S7 class.
Coach Payne was chosen from among the coaching staff at Dolphins’ Club swimming team at Blacktown Aquatic Centre consisting of juniors and adults enrolled in various programs supported by the council.
Paralympics Australia has announced the Swimming Team for Paris 2024 Games consists of three-time gold medallist Brenden Hall, Timothy Hodge, Ahmed Kelly, Jesse Aungles, Emily Beecroft, Ricky Betar, Lewis Bishop, Rowan Crothers, Katja Dedekind, Tom Gallagher, Jasmine Greenwood, Benjamin Hance, Timothy Hodge, Jack Ireland, Ella Jones, Jenna Jones, Alexa Leary, Paige Leonhardt, Maddie McTernan, Jake Michel, Chloe Osborn, Grant Patterson, Lakeisha Patterson, Col Pearse, Alex Saffy, Callum Simpson, Keira Stephens, Ruby Storm, Holly Warn, Rachael Watson, and Poppy Wilson.
