Para Swimming
Grant ‘Scooter’ PattersonPLY
A three-time Paralympian with four Paralympic medals and a personality broadcasters build coverage around — Australia’s cult hero is still in national colours 16 years on.
A three-time Paralympian with four Paralympic medals and a personality broadcasters build coverage around — Australia’s cult hero is still in national colours 16 years on.
Book Scooter when the brief needs energy the room remembers.
A three-time Paralympian with four Paralympic medals and eight world championship medals, he pairs elite credibility with the personality that made him a national cult hero out of Tokyo — the kind of profile broadcasters cut to and crowds queue for. Cairns handed him the Keys to the City; Paralympics Australia gave him the 2024 Spirit of the Games award. Sixteen years in Australian colours and still competing, he suits keynote and MC work, disability-inclusion programs, community campaigns and any brand that wants warmth and authenticity rather than polish.
With a megawatt smile, boundless charisma, and an unshakable belief in the power of positivity, he’s as much a fan favourite as he is a fierce competitor.
Born with Diastrophic Dysplasia, Scooter never saw limits, only opportunities. He dove into the world of competitive swimming early on and quickly rose through the ranks, turning heads with his raw talent, infectious energy, and bold presence on the international stage.
Representing Australia at three Paralympic Games — London 2012, Tokyo 2020 and Paris 2024 — Scooter has built an impressive medal haul: silver in the 50m breaststroke SB2 with an Oceania-record swim and bronze in the 150m individual medley SM3 at the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games, backed up in Paris with two more bronze medals across the same two events. Sixteen years into life in Australian colours, he was named in 2026 to the Australian Para Pan Pacific Championships team — its oldest member at 37. But what truly sets him apart is his ability to inspire: whether he’s hyping up a crowd or lifting his teammates, he has a magnetic way of making people believe in themselves.
Off the blocks, Scooter is a sought-after speaker, social media personality, and advocate for adaptive sport — showing Australia that you can find ability in disability. Scooter embodies energy, resilience and is unapologetically himself.
Named to the Australian team for the Para Pan Pacific Championships, California — the squad’s oldest member at 37
World Para Swimming Championships, Singapore: 4th in both the 50m breaststroke SB2 and 150m IM SM3
Uncle Kevin Coombs Spirit of the Games Award · Paris Paralympics: bronze, 150m IM SM3 and bronze, 50m breaststroke SB2
World Championships, Madeira: silver, 50m breaststroke SB2 and bronze, 150m IM SM3
Presented the Keys to the City of Cairns
Tokyo Paralympics (held 2021): silver, 50m breaststroke SB2 with an Oceania-record swim; bronze, 150m IM SM3
World Championships, London: silver, 50m breaststroke SB2 and bronze, 150m IM SM3
World Championships, Glasgow: silver, 150m IM SM3
World Championships, Montreal: silver, 150m IM; bronze, 50m and 100m freestyle S3
Paralympic Games debut, London
7 medals at the Pan Pacific Para Championships, Edmonton
First S3 swimmer in history to break 2 minutes for the 100m backstroke (world record)
Paris 2024 — Paralympic bronze
Scooter’s sessions bring the energy the room remembers — adaptive sport, resilience and being unapologetically yourself, from a four-time Paralympic medallist.
Adaptive-sport advocacy from a four-time Paralympic medallist.
16 years at the top, no excuses, all energy.
The cult-hero story of Tokyo and beyond.
Formats: conference keynote · panels & Q&A · school and sporting-org programs · brand events and appearances
“Thank you sooo much for your inspiring presentation. You are someone that all of us should aspire to be like!”
DEBRA QUABBA — MSF SUGAR PTY LIMITED“Swimming NT on the 19th of February 2022 hosted its first All Abilities Gala Day with special guests Paralympian Grant Patterson and Coach Herbie Howard. Grant’s attendance was a major draw card for attendees — families travelled as far as 3 hours away to attend. Grant appeared in multiple news articles and was featured on radio talk shows prior to the event. The All Abilities Gala Day began with Grant sharing his inspiring journey and how he got involved in swimming, including challenges he had to overcome — everyone was on the edge of their seats. Grant’s humour and inspiring words left everyone with the same message in their head: ‘I can do it’. Grant’s way of speaking allowed him to connect with all attendees — swimmers, non-swimmers, coaches, parents and all other onlookers. Grant was not afraid to jump in the water too! Many of the attendees still talk today about how they got the opportunity to race a Paralympic medallist. The impact on the children that attended was phenomenal — from the day we have seen new swimmers transition into club swimming. Grant is a very professional and inspiring speaker, the positive impact of his visit was evident. Swimming NT highly recommends Grant.”
SWIMMING NT — ALL ABILITIES GALA DAY
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