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France brought that small checklist with her to the Paralympics so that this week, she could finally get an official to tick the final box.
“Who would have ever thought that the nine-year-old Liana who said ‘I want to go to the Olympics’, and changed to the Paralympics after the accident, that we’ve been able to get her and support her to get this far? She’s absolutely amazing,” her mum said.
France’s best friend, Ella, was in the crowd to watch too after making a promise as children that if either made it to this stage, the other would be there.
“She’s such an inspiration for everyone. I think, especially for women. She’s such a feminist too so she would love this,” Ella said. “She’s everything that she wants to be. I know she’s inspired me at least, and I know she’s inspired her sister, and I know she’s inspired about a billion other people. Just the fact that she’s gotten back up and gotten on the snow and gone ‘nup, won’t stop me’.”
France made her Paralympic debut alongside teammate 22-year-old Georgia Gunew and her guide Ethan Jackson, 25. One poster in the crowd wrote “yeah the girls… and Ethan”.
Georgia Gunew and her guide Ethan Jackon, compete in the women’s giant slalom.Credit: Getty Images
“Ethan is one of the girls,” Gunew said.
Like France, Gunew grew up skiing but lost her vision at 15 when diagnosed with Stargardt’s macular dystrophy. Gunew reaches speeds up to 100km/h while being legally blind and does so with the help of Jackson who wears a fluoro vest and bluetooth headset to help guide her down the mountain.
“It’s great skiing with Liana too. I’m so stoked,” Gunew said. “I’ve never had another female competitor from Australia in the same day as me in the whole time I’ve been skiing with the team. So it’s been so cool. She’s very young and energetic and always has something a bit funny to say, so I love having her on the team.”
France placed 15th of 22 and Gunew 11th of 15 in the women’s giant slalom standing and vision impaired categories respectively. Both compete again in the women’s slalom on Saturday – their preferred events.
Georgia Gunew and Ethan Jackson embrace after the finish line of the giant slalom.Credit: Getty Images
“I don’t want to jinx myself, but this is my first games at 16. So in the future, I would say that I’m definitely one to watch from Australia,” France said.
This masthead has travelled to Cortina as a guest of Paralympics Australia.
The Winter Paralympic Games is broadcast on the Nine Network, 9Now and Stan Sport.
