How Susannah Lutze and Sam Stunell found their place in para-rowing

For two young Australians, what began as quiet battles with impairment has become a powerful journey toward international representation.

This June, Rowsella Susannah Lutze PLY and Sam Stunell will take to the water at the 2025 Paris Para Rowing Regatta, proudly wearing the green and gold.

But before the selection, the medals and the international race calls, there were years of unseen struggle, uncertainty, and ultimately, discovery.

Lutze, 21, grew up with a condition called unilateral Talipes Equinovarus – or clubfoot.

From the time she was three weeks old, she underwent years of treatment; braces, casts and physiotherapy.

While the procedures helped correct the position of her foot, they left her with a permanently immobile left ankle and muscle atrophy through her leg.

“I knew my ankle was different,” Lutze said. “But I never really thought of myself as having a disability. I wasn’t taught to see it that way.”

It wasn’t until she watched the Tokyo Paralympics that she realised there were athletes like her competing at the highest level.

“I saw PR3 rowers moving like able-bodied athletes, and I had no idea impairments like mine could qualify. That was the moment I started asking questions.”

The path from that realisation to full classification came with a few early hurdles, but it was all part of the learning experience.

After submitting her paperwork, things started moving quickly once she was connected with the right support.

Once in the system, the process became smooth and straightforward, giving her clarity and confidence moving forward.

“It’s not a stressful process. It’s strength and mobility testing, classifiers check how your body moves differently on the ergometer. I’ve never heard of anyone having a bad experience with it,” Lutze said.

Stunell’s story shares a similar theme, a quiet belief that he didn’t fit the traditional definition of a para-athlete.

Diagnosed with cerebral palsy shortly after birth, Sam grew up learning to manage the condition with surgeries, casting and Botox injections.

It affected his right side, particularly his lower limbs, but he didn’t let it hold him back.

“I always knew I wanted to represent Australia in something,” Stunell said.

“At first I thought it might be rugby.”

He was well on his way to doing just that when a serious femur injury in 2023 forced him to reconsider.

Six weeks on crutches and a projected 12-month rehab meant rugby was off the table. But rowing, which he’d already started casually through school and the South Australian Sport Institute (SASI) para development program, came into focus.

That injury, ironically, became the key to his future.

“It was a blessing in disguise. Because of that injury, I was reclassified and became eligible to race the [PR3 Mixed] Double. Without it, I wouldn’t be where I am now.”

Both athletes credit the classification process, and the people who guided them through it, with changing their outlooks.

“For me, it helped me better understand my body,” Stunell said.

“The classifiers and coaches have been incredible. I’m proud to say I live with a disability, and I’m also proud of what I can do.”

Lutze added: “Once you’re in, the support is amazing. Coaches constantly adapt things to suit our impairments and get the most out of us.”

In 2023, Lutze was selected for her first national para team.

She travelled overseas, won two Gold medals and competed at the World Championships in Belgrade, where her crew finished fourth, securing qualification for Paris.

“It made everything feel real,” she said. “That’s when I knew I wanted to go all the way to the [Paris] Games.”

Stunell's rise was equally sharp.

With national titles already under his belt in the PR3 Mixed Double and Men’s Pair, he’s set to race the Paris International Regatta before continuing on to World Cup I and II.

Alongside his studies in Clinical Exercise Physiology and part-time work, he’s become one of the most promising young para rowers in the country.

“I’ve had nights lying in bed just playing through different race scenarios,” Stunell said.

“There’s pressure, sure. Especially stepping into the seats once held by Jed [Altschwager OAM PLY] and Nikki [Ayers OAM PLY], but I know I’ve got the support. I just want to go out there and represent my country with everything I’ve got.”

What unites both Lutze and Stunell is a shared message: you don’t need to look or move a certain way to be a para-athlete.

PR3 classification includes a wide range of physical impairments, many of which might not be immediately obvious.

“There’s this perception that para sport is only for people with very visible or severe disabilities,” Lutze said.

“But that’s not true. If you’ve got something that affects your movement, even slightly, it’s worth exploring.”

Stunell agrees.

“Just ask the question. There’s no harm in trying to get classified. The worst they can say is no – but if you qualify, it could open up the best experience of your life.”

Are you, or someone you know, living with a physical impairment?

Think you might be eligible to row at the national or international level?

Take the first step by filling out Rowing Australia’s Expression of Interest form. It’s the easiest way to connect with RA’s Para Lead Coach, Christine MacLaren, and Para Head Coach, James Loveday.

You might be closer to a green and gold journey than you think.

The 2025 Paris Para Rowing Regatta takes place from June 7-8 at the Paris Paralympic course.

Stunell and Lutze will both compete in the PR3 Single Sculls, with Stunell continuing on to race World Cup I and II in the PR3 Mixed Double Sculls with Lisa Greissl.

Stay tuned for results and updates as Australia’s next generation of para-rowers take on the world.