Bio

Anu is a passionate and driven triathlete, aiming to win gold in Triathlon at the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games.

From Diagnosis to Paralympics

Anu’s para sport journey began in 2017, when halfway through her veterinary medicine degree, she was diagnosed with Ehlers Danlos Syndrome, a degenerative connective tissue disorder. She was told that her disability made her ineligible for veterinary registration, shutting the door to her childhood dream through no fault of her own.

The only positive role models with disabilities that readily came to Anu’s mind were Paralympians, so she turned to para sport, learnt how to embrace her disability, and doors finally started opening again.

Sporting Journey

Playing her childhood sport of badminton, Anu represented Australia for the first time in 2018, before being talent-identified into the South Australian Sport Institute’s rowing program. Despite a successful career, including setting ten Concept2 Indoor Rowing World Records and making history as the first female para-rower to represent and medal for South Australia, Anu was significantly disadvantaged by the classification system, particularly following an additional diagnosis of Dopa-Responsive Dystonia; a one in a million neurological condition.

To pursue her Paralympic dream, Anu talent-transferred to triathlon in 2020 and has not looked back since.

Anu quickly fell in love with the challenge of learning to swim from scratch and finding the optimal balance in training for three disciplines. She felt instantly accepted within the diverse triathlon community and her performance rapidly progressed.

In 2022, Anu podiumed at her first two international races to qualify for and medal at world championships. In 2023, Anu claimed silver at World Championships and won the Paris Paralympic Test Event. Thus far in 2024, Anu has won her first World Triathlon Para Series and qualified for the Paris Paralympics, ranked 2nd in the world.

More Than Just an Athlete

Alongside her athletic career, Anu works as a triathlon coach and disability peer mentor, whilst also studying the Bachelor of Exercise Science / Master of Clinical Exercise Physiology, hoping to share her passion for triathlon, inclusive sport and health with the world. She is also a passionate disability and LQBTIQA+ role model and activist.