When Alexandra “Al” Viney first stepped into a rowing boat, she instantly fell in love. She was in year seven at Launceston Grammar School when she decided to try rowing as a summer sport alongside her best friend. Though Al had always been drawn to tennis and basketball, it was her friend’s enthusiasm that led her to give rowing a chance.

That seemingly small decision turned out to be a life-changing one. Little did she know, it would set her on a path to becoming a professional rower.

“There is something really special about stepping foot inside a boat house. The history that they hold,” Al says. She recalls exploring the Grammar boat shed, taking in the names of past athletes painted and carved into the walls and the boats that had travelled countless kilometres and crossed hundreds of finish lines. She dreamed of one day becoming a part of that storied tradition. “It’s a really cool sport if you stop to take it all in.”

Al grew up in Deloraine, where she was an energetic child, racing through the train park and hitting tennis balls with her friends and sister at the local club. She cherishes her roots and loves visiting when she can. “The mountains and farmland just feel like home.” She later moved to Launceston for her teenage years and, after graduation, lived in various cities including London and Geelong. For the past five years, Melbourne has been her home, though she is currently based in Canberra at the Australian Institute of Sport, preparing for the Paralympic Games at the Rowing Australia National Training Centre.

Al has had two rowing careers: there’s before the accident, and after. In December 2010, at just 18, she survived a high-speed car crash. The accident left her with long-term impairments to her left elbow, forearm, and hand, abruptly halting her athletic dreams. “So many opportunities were taken away from me because society couldn’t imagine sport to look different than ‘that’s how it’s always been done’,” she reflects. “I couldn’t express myself the way I wanted and all of the doors that had been open to an able bodied, competitive young female athlete were slammed shut – no matter how much I banged my fists on them.” Her identity was intertwined with her sport, and so when that changed, her sense of self frac­tured. She’d lost a piece of herself.

But fate had another twist up its sleeve. Eight years later, while working as a strength and conditioning coach in Geelong, a brief conversation with a bystander on the sidelines of a football game turned her world around. When asked why she wasn’t a para-athlete, it was the spark she needed to reframe her story. It clicked that her disability didn’t have to be a barrier. By November 2018, she was back in a rowing boat, equipped with adaptive gear that allowed her to participate fully. Just three months later, she made the Australian National Rowing Team in the PR3 Mixed Coxed Four, which went on to place fourth at the Rowing World Championships in Austria.

“I was finally able to express my power, strength and competitiveness,” she says. “Instead of being made to fit into a box, I was now standing on top of the box taking hold of my true potential.” Today, Al is a five-time national champion, a world championship silver medalist, and, soon, a two-time Paralympian.

Representation is close to her heart. As a proud gay, disabled athlete, Al champions the message that sportspeople reach their full potential when they fully embrace who they are. She’s an ambassador for Proud 2 Play, advocating for LGBTQI+ inclusion in sports and recreation. Al is honoured to be an inspiration for girls, women, and LGBTQI+ individuals in the sporting world. “Visibility matters. Opportunities are for everyone. Inclusion changes lives,” Al says.

Al’s dedication has earned her a place in the 2024 Paralympic Games in Paris, scheduled from 28 August to 8 September. Unlike the Tokyo Games, which were held under pandemic restric­tions, she is excited to have her family cheer her on in person this time. “I’m excited to experience the people and the atmosphere of the Paralympic Games,” she says. “Tokyo was so different for everyone and I just know that the experi­ence in Paris will be something seriously special.” Al feels she’s a different athlete now compared to Tokyo. “I’ve learnt more about the sport and myself and am so proud of the training and dedication that I’ve put in to grow and evolve. It’s time to put all of that to the test.”

Her rigorous training regimen includes three daily sessions, six days a week, comprising on-water rowing, ergometer work, cycling, strength training, and occasional running. She also engages with a support team of physical therapists, dietitians, doctors, and psychologists. One unexpected aspect of her prepara­tion is heat training; used to Canberra’s freezing winter temperatures, she is acclimating to the European summer by using an infrared sauna. Al values open communication with her support team and appreciates the space her performance psychologist, Josh, and coach, James, provide for her to be vulnerable.

Rowing is more than a sport for Al; it’s a passion. She loves being on the water and, when not rowing, enjoys golf, pho­tography, and coffee. After the Games, she’s excited to return to Tasmania and savour Hobart’s café scene. “Very spoilt for choice,” she says eagerly. She’s also looking forward to seeing the Tasmanian AFL/AFLW team emerge and hopes to snag a Devils jersey.

Al’s journey has been full of ups and downs, but she has persevered and chased her dreams. Her advice to aspiring athletes, whether Paralympic, Olympic, or future Tasmanian Devils, is this: “Believe in yourself. Keep that flame burning. Protect it and nurture it. You are your own biggest supporter. Be creative, seek out people who help to brighten your light and who, instead of trying to make you fit in a box, help you climb on top of it and reach for the stars. Opportunities are for everyone, and sport is a powerful place for you to express yourself, showcase your strengths, and connect with an incredible community. It can look and feel however you need it to feel. Just because it’s always been done a certain way doesn’t mean it can be done differ­ently. I’m here to tell you that YOU CAN DO IT.”

The Paralympic Games will be shown in Australia across the Nine Network. You can stream live for free on the 9Now app, while subscription service Stan Sport will have every event on demand.