Victoria has established its first dedicated unit to discovering and developing the next generation of Paralympians with a funding boost after the 2024 Paris Paralympics, in which Australia recorded its lowest medal tally in more than three decades. On Monday, the Victorian Institute of Sport launched the new ParaUnit, which is designed to make it easier for aspiring athletes to start or progress in para-sport. It is funded with $1.66 million from the federal government – part of a larger $54.9 million investment in the Paralympics made by the government in June last year. Paralympian and Paris bronze medallist Shae Graham said barriers faced by emerging para-athletes included a lack of specialist coaches, the cost of equipment and a lack of pathways for progression. “I did a lot of Googling and a lot of searching to try and work out just where to go to give wheelchair rugby a go. So, [the] first barrier being like available information,” said Graham, who has been part of two Paralympics in wheelchair rugby.