When she first came to India 16 years ago, Vanessa Low was a German teenager seeking her first international classification, unaware of what the future had in store for her. The 34-year old is now back in the country as one of the most decorated para athletes of all times with no plans of slowing down.
Consider this: Low’s medal cabinet boasts of four Paralympic medals – three of them gold – an incredible eight Para World Championship medals and four European Championships ones. She is also one of the few people to become a Paralympic champion for two countries, having moved to Australia in 2017 after marriage to fellow Paralympian Scott Readron, across two different events on the track (100m T42) and field (Long Jump T63).
“It feels like I have lived two different lives but I am lucky to be embraced by both countries. When I won at Tokyo and Paris, the German team celebrated alongside me,” Low said on the sidelines of the maiden World Para Athletics Grand Prix here.
One of the few big names to participate in the 30day event, Low admitted the World Championships later this year was one of the reasons for her to make the trip. “It’s always nice to test things ahead of the World Championships. We actually expected it to be quite chaotic and we have seen the opposite, it’s very well structured and everyone’s really helpful. We are aware that the surface is going to be relaid before the competition, it’s not horrible but it definitely needs an update and the people here will benefit,” she revealed.
For the love of the sport
When she first came in 2009 for the World AbilitySport Games (IWAS World Games) in Bengaluru, para sports and athletes were barely recognised in the country and it reflected in her memories from back then. “It was really funny and chaotic. We just had to go along with whatever was, the transfers didn’t work well and we had a lot of struggles but I loved every moment. I think that’s where, when we expect the perfect conditions and everything just to be running smoothly, we sometimes forget that the reason we’re here is for the sport. What I took home then was a love for the sport and getting to meet people all around the world.
“What has really changed since then is the sport has become a lot more professional and when you come to events like this, you see them structured and really professional. That has definitely evolved and I think there’s more of the governments appreciating and hosting such events,” she said.
What hasn’t changed is her desire to keep pushing herself to get better, the multitude of medals notwithstanding. “I think I was both unfortunate and fortunate that I wasn’t exceptionally talented and successful straight away. I had to work hard for seven years to get my first gold. I know how the sport looked like when not winning and I love the sport enough to see that nothing actually changes after winning. I found the beauty and the love for the sport before winning gold. I think the motivation remains because I know what it does for the people and how they see those with disability,” she explained. That, and the elusive 6m mark that she has set sights on.
A map through years
Her right arm reads like a map with coordinates and depicts her success. Starting with 12°57′ N 77°37′ E, corresponding to the Kanteerava Stadium in Bengaluru, the tattoo moves across Christchurch, Lyon and Doha, venues for the 2011, 2013 and 2015 World Championships and her victories with Germany. It is signed by Roderick Green, her coach and mentor who got her back on track when Low was on the verge of quitting.
“He was the one who believed in me when I didn’t believe in myself and even though it was tough moving base to the USA and starting all over again, he kept pushing me and is the one responsible for my actually starting winning after all those years of disappointment,” she said.
It’s an incomplete list, of course, and Low admitted she had a lot of catching up to do. “There are the Paralympics and the World Championships since then and I think I will get the ones I won with Australia on the other arm. Rio 2016 I am still figuring out where it goes,” she laughed.
Low won her only silver in the 100m there, which she also considers one of her most special. “That’s because it was a race where I wasn’t the most talented athlete, that was one of the medals I won simply because I worked my backside off and it was it was a really big one for me. But I can’t dismiss Paris either and I think being a young mum and having made a successful return to the sport, I think it has the power to inspire a lot of young female athletes, knowing they don’t have to choose one or the other,” she added.
Low’s Hall of Fame
Representing Australia
Paralympic Games
2024 Paris (Long jump T63) gold
2020 Tokyo (Long jump T63) gold
World Championships
2024 Kobe (Long jump T63) gold
2023 Paris (Long jump T63) bronze
2019 Dubai (Long jump T61-63) gold
Representing Germany
Paralympic Games
2016 Rio de Janeiro (Long jump T42) gold
2016 Rio de Janeiro (100m T42) silver
World Championships
2015 Doha (Long jump T42) gold
2015 Doha (100m T42) silver
2013 Lyon (Long jump T42) bronze
2013 Lyon (100m T42) bronze
2011 Christchurch (100m T42) bronze
Published – March 12, 2025 09:23 pm IST
