She's one of Australia's youngest Paralympians but sprint wheelchair athlete Madison de Rozario wants to follow her coach Louise Sauvage's journey into marathons.
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De Rozario, 20, is part of a world-class field competing in Canberra at the Summer Down Under series at the AIS Athletics track on Tuesday and Wednesday. It's the start of de Rozario's bid to qualify for the Commonwealth Games.
But after making her Paralympic debut as a 14-year-old and winning silver in the 4x100 metre event, de Rozario has been working with Sauvage to make a switch to long distance.
''I've done a couple of marathons since the world championships [in July last year] and that's eventually where I want to move into,'' de Rozario said. ''I've always wanted to move to longer distance. Louise used to race marathons so I'm hoping to do it in the next few years.''
Leading wheelchair track and road racers from around the world, including Kurt Fearnley, will be competing at the Summer Down Under series, which is celebrating 25 years.
De Rozario was struck by a rare neurological condition when she was four years old, which inflamed her spinal cord and paralysed her from the feet up.
Doctors were able to reverse the paralysis from her chest down to her waist, leaving her in a wheelchair, but with the use of her arms.
The meet in Canberra will be the first chance for Australian athletes to qualify for the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow in July.
De Rozario will compete in the 800 metre, 1500 metre and 5000 metre events as she aims for her Commonwealth Games debut.
Despite competing as a teenager at the Beijing Paralympics in 2008 and again in London in 2012, de Rozario is yet to go to a Commonwealth Games. She won a bronze medal in the 800 metre T53 event at world championships last year.
''It's [the Summer Down Under] the biggest competition we have in Australia, it will be interesting to see how it goes,'' de Rozario said. ''Even if I go into marathon, I'll still be keeping my middle distance events because I love them.''
■ TUESDAY
Summer Down Under Series day one at the AIS Track, 5.30-8.30pm, free entry.