The Tokyo 2020 Paralympics have come to an end and former Royal Talbot Rehabilitation Centre patient, Josh Hose, said his team’s result was a humbling experience they would grow from.

The 34-year-old participated with the Australian wheelchair rugby team, The Steelers, which finished fourth overall.

“Fourth wasn’t the outcome we went there with and our belief was to be better than that,” he said.

“All the other teams had lifted and we were really exposed – our last four camps had been cancelled due to COVID and there hadn’t been any competition since 2019. One of our players became ill with a fever and was unable to play. It was a combination of things and it went that way.”

Josh said the entire experience of the Paralympics was fantastic.

“My expectations were pretty low as I thought it wasn’t even going to happen,” he said.

“I thought our limitations would have been a bit more but we were able to get around the village within certain rules.

“The Japanese people were fantastic and they were more than willing to help.”

Tokyo was Josh’s third Paralympics and he admitted he wasn’t sure about whether he’d be competing at the next Paralympics in Paris 2024.  

“You could say I’m getting a bit long in the tooth,” he said.

“There are a few things to fall my way, but I might step aside, or roll aside – I’m looking forward to enjoying olives and red wine!”

A large contingent of former Royal Talbot Rehabilitation Centre patients were selected for the Tokyo 2020 Paralympics.

The group included half The Steelers, and another nine players competed in tennis, basketball, shooting, equestrian, athletics, sailing and hand cycling.

Royal Talbot Rehabilitation Centre Manager Community Integration and Leisure Services, Salvatore Dema, said the Paralympics had been a wonderful demonstration of the importance of setting a goal and working step by step toward that goal.

“Not all of us may win medals but we can still achieve through connecting with others and doing our best,” he said.