00:02They've got torque, they've got power, and the pinpoint accuracy to compete on the world
00:09stage.
00:09This is powerchair football.
00:12Powerchair football is an adapted form of outdoor football for people with more severe
00:19disabilities.
00:21The game is four on four, including a goalie, and it's played in two 20-minute
00:26long halves.
00:27The goals are six metres wide, we have yellow cards, we have red cards, we have corner
00:31kicks, throw-ins, everything that you have in outdoor football we have in our version.
00:36Dimitri Leolio-Davis founded the sport in Australia with his teammate and Western Sydney University
00:43PhD candidate Chris Hastas.
00:45They're both flying to Argentina to represent Australia at the World Cup in October.
00:51The game plan is to have a new style of play.
00:54So I think over the last few years Australia's developed their style of play to be much more
01:00aggressive.
01:01They'll be facing tough competition from France, the US and the UK.
01:05Just meeting them in a game sense is probably what's going to be the most difficult and matching
01:10the speed and intensity that they'll be playing at right from the get-go.
01:14These players are back-to-back Asia-Pacific Oceania champions, winning the Cup in 2019 and again
01:21in 2025, qualifying for this upcoming World Cup.
01:24But despite their obvious talent, when it comes to resourcing, Australia is a bit behind the ball.
01:30Right now there is no government funding for this national team.
01:34It's an expensive sport, with power chairs alone costing up to $50,000 each.
01:40Their training, their trip to the World Cup in Argentina in eight weeks' time is all entirely
01:46self-funded.
01:47We would love more support and more awareness and maybe even more sponsorships.
01:51Australian athletes giving everything to bring home the trophy.
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