Six Australian sailors will compete at the Rio 2016 Paralympic Games, following an announcement made by the Australian Paralympic Committee (APC) Chief Executive Lynne Anderson.

Matthew Bugg, who won last May’s Hyeres World Cup, will take part in the 2.4m Norlin OD, world No.1 Russell Boaden, Colin Harrison and Jonathan Harris in the sonar, and defending Paralympic champions Daniel Fitzgibbon and Liesl Tesch in the SKUD18.

“The Australian Paralympic Sailing Team is world class across all three boat classes and I have no doubt they will be pushing hard to build on the success they have achieved in recent years,” said Anderson.

Having captained the Australian women’s wheelchair basketball team to two silvers and one bronze over five Paralympics between 1992 and 2008, London 2012 sailing gold medallist Liesl Tesch is relishing the opportunity to compete at her seventh Paralympic Games.

“I can tell you, I will experience the same amount of joy now for my seventh Games as I did for my first,” she said.

“I am looking forward to defending gold at the Games, but I am always aiming to sail a good regatta and be smart and do it well. Every race, and every training session is about doing the best we can.”

For Daniel Fitzgibbon, Tesch’s sailing partner, competing in Rio will be an opportunity to display his skills and a moment of reflection.

“I feel like an old hat at this now heading into my third Games. I am surprised to have been around so long but excited for the challenges that Rio will present for us,” he said.

“I am very proud to be a Paralympian. The Paralympics is such a great movement and such a thing for people to aspire to and it really encourages young people with a disability. It can show them how much they can achieve.

“Rio will be truly special. I will be taking time while I am there to reflect on my career and savour every moment of these Games.”

Australia has won four medals in sailing at the Paralympic Games – two golds, one silver and one bronze – since it was introduced as a Paralympic sport at Sydney 2000.

More information is available on the Australian Paralympic Committee’s website.

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Sport fans from around the world can now buy their Paralympic tickets for Rio 2016 from authorised ticket resellers (ATRs)

The IPC’s Global ATR is Jet Set Sports, and Rio 2016 tickets and packages can be purchased on the CoSport website.

Residents of Brazil can buy 2016 Paralympics tickets directly from the Rio 2016 website.

Visa International is the exclusive payment card and the official payment system for the Paralympic Games.