Emily Paix - Paracanoe

Growing up Emily participated in as many sports as she could, ranging from Rugby 7’s and Curling to Olympic Weightlifting and Water Polo. If there was an opportunity to try something new, she usually said yes. Some of these opportunities led to openings to work in elite sports support as a performance analyst. She pursued these passions to a PhD in Para Sport Classification.

In 2022 Emily had an accident that resulted in the amputation of her leg above the knee a year later. With her background in Para Sport she was well placed to continue to stay active throughout this period. She started doing Parkrun in a manual wheelchair and achieved her goal of a Guinness World Record for the fastest half marathon in a non-racing wheelchair in 2023.

Four months after her leg was amputated, Emily sat in an outrigger canoe (va’a) for the first time and raced her first national event in both the kayak and the va’a three months after that. Following a break for medical procedures she picked up a paddle again in May 2024. Emily was selected for her first Australian Paracanoe Squad in 2025 and competed in Poznan at the Paracanoe World Cup in May of the same year. She is currently focused on training for the 2026 Canoe Sprint National Championships with her sights set on improving her performances from last season.

Questions

The best thing about being a SASI Athlete:

Having the opportunity as a Para athlete to train with women’s canoe and women’s kayak on the water and having all squads both para and non-disabled integrated for our gym-based training.

My favourite food to fuel me as an Athlete:

Burrito bowl.

My favourite movie:

Lord of the Rings: Fellowship of the Ring.

My favourite colours:

Green.

My sporting hero and why:

It is hard to pick just one, however, Lindsey Vonn (American alpine ski racer) would be at the top of my list. Lindsey has retired (twice) from competitive sport ski racing and is now back and preparing for what will be her 5th Olympics. Lindsey is aspiring for high goals having made the podium in the lead up to the Games, and she is achieving this having undergone a total knee replacement. She embodies hard work and dedication.

My favourite possession:

Coffee machine, a close second would be my PhD graduation bonnet.

The sporting activity I most like performing:

On the water I enjoy starts practice, I also enjoy our strength and conditioning sessions.

If I wasn’t doing my current sport I would like to be:

I would probably (hopefully) be teaching in a University and pursuing research in my area of expertise.

The most important things in life:

Appreciating the small things and quiet moments, staying connected and present with friends and family.

My ambassador activity tip:

Take all opportunities offered to you, because you never know where you might end up.

My favourite way to keep active:

Rock climbing or the occasional hike – preferably hunting a waterfall.

The sport I like watching the most:

Any multi-sport event such as the Paralympics or Olympics.

What sporting success looks like:

Enjoying the process of training hard, and pushing your limits to see what you are capable of.