View source for Eliza Stankovic-Mowle

{{Short description|Australian wheelchair racer (born 1981)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2018}}
{{Use Australian English|date=January 2015}}
{{Infobox sportsperson
| name = Stankovic-Mowle
| image = Eliza Ault-Connell Tokyo MM edit.jpg
| image_size = 
| caption = After completing her track program at the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games
| fullname = 
| nicknames = 
| nationality = {{AUS}}
| club = 
| collegeteam = 
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1981|9|19|df=yes}}
| birth_place = [[Sydney]], New South Wales
| death_date = 
| death_place = 
| height = 
| weight = 
| medaltemplates = {{MedalSport|Women's [[Athletics (sport)|athletics]]}}
{{MedalCountry|{{AUS}}}}
{{MedalCompetition|[[World Para Athletics Championships]]}}
{{MedalSilver|2002 Lille|400m T54}}
{{MedalBronze|2006 Assen|800m T54}}
{{MedalBronze|[[2019 World Para Athletics Championships|2019 Dubai]]|800m T54}}
{{MedalCompetition|[[Commonwealth Games]]}}
{{MedalSilver|[[2006 Commonwealth Games|2006 Melbourne]]|800m T54}}
{{MedalSilver|[[2018 Commonwealth Games|2018 Gold Coast]]|[[Athletics at the 2018 Commonwealth Games – Women's marathon (T54)|Marathon T54]]}}
{{MedalBronze|[[2002 Commonwealth Games|2002 Victoria]]|800m Wheelchair}}
{{MedalCompetition|[[Olympic Games]] ([[demonstration sport]])}}
{{CompetitionRecordSecond|[[2004 Summer Olympics|2004 Athens]]|[[Wheelchair racing at the 2004 Summer Olympics|Wheelchair racing]]}}
}}

'''Eliza Stankovic-Mowle''' {{postnominals|country=AUS|size=100%|AM}} (née '''Ault-Connell'''; born 19 September 1981) is an Australian [[wheelchair racer]], who competed at [[Paralympic Games|Paralympic]] and [[Olympic Games]]. She survived [[meningococcal disease]] and plays a major role in improving the Australian community's awareness of the disease.

==Early life==
Eliza Jane Ault-Connell was born in [[Sydney]], New South Wales, on 19 September 1981. In 1997, at the age of 16, she nearly died from [[meningococcal disease]].<ref name=smh>{{cite news |last1=Masters |first1=Roy |title=Woman who turned tragedy into triumph |url=http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2003/08/28/1062050613081.html?from=storyrhs |access-date=26 January 2015 |work=Sydney Morning Herald |date=29 August 2003}}</ref> She had both her legs amputated above the knees two days after contracting the disease. She said "Amputation wasn't a decision I had to make: I was in a coma at the time. Mum and Dad were told that's what had to be done to save my life, so in that sense there was no choice."<ref name=age>{{cite news |last1=Heath |first1=Sally |title=On a learning curve |url=http://www.theage.com.au/news/athletics/on-a-learning-curve/2006/03/12/1142098347321.html |access-date=27 January 2015 |work=The Age |date=13 March 2006}}</ref> Later she had to make the decision to have most of the fingers on each hand removed. She was in hospital for six months and in 1998, she acquired prosthetic legs.<ref name=smh />

She is the Director of Meningococcal Australia<ref>{{Cite news |url=http://www.mamamia.com.au/meningococcal-survivor/ |title=Here's what a meningococcal survivor wants you to know. |date=2 May 2016 |work=Mamamia |access-date=18 August 2017 |language=en-US}}</ref> and is involved in promoting the awareness of meningococcal disease in the Australian community.<ref name="westaust">{{cite news |url=https://au.news.yahoo.com/thewest/a/23637584/survivor-has-story-of-hope/ |title=Survivor has story of hope |last1=O'Leary |first1=Cathy |date=19 May 2014 |work=Western Australian |accessdate=27 January 2015 |archive-date=24 June 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160624145005/https://au.news.yahoo.com/thewest/a/23637584/survivor-has-story-of-hope/ |url-status=dead }}</ref>

In 2022, she was part of the [[Australian Institute of Sport]] (AIS) Accelerate program that is designed  to increase the number and visibility of women in sport leadership positions.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2022-01-19 |title=Women sport stars seize opportunity for future leadership {{!}} Commonwealth Games Australia |url=https://commonwealthgames.com.au/women-sport-stars-seize-opportunity-for-future-leadership/ |access-date=2024-07-06 |website=commonwealthgames.com.au |language=en-AU}}</ref> She is an Ambassador for Wheelchair Sports NSW/ACT.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Members |first=Wheelchair Sports NSW/ACT Sporting |title=Our Ambassadors |url=http://www.wsnsw.org.au/about-us/our-ambassadors |access-date=2024-07-06 |website=www.wsnsw.org.au |language=en}}</ref>

==Athletics career==
Before her illness, Stankovic excelled in netball and basketball. In 1998, she started running using her prosthetic legs and was classed [[T44 (classification)|T44]] athlete.<ref name=smh /> However, she moved to wheelchair racing as a [[T54 (classification)|T54]] athlete due to a problem with the bone in the stump.<ref name=smh /> During  her athletics, she competed as Eliza Ault-Connell.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |last1=Hutchings |first1=Kara |date=2022-05-06 |title=Watching Kids Sport On Mother's Day? It's A Beautiful Thing, Eliza Says {{!}} Paralympics Australia |url=https://www.paralympic.org.au/2022/05/watching-kids-sport-on-mothers-day-its-a-beautiful-thing-eliza-says/ |access-date=2024-07-06 |website=www.paralympic.org.au |language=en-AU}}</ref>

Ault-Connell's first major international competition was [[2002 Commonwealth Games]] where she won the bronze medal in the Women's Wheelchair 800m.<ref name=aa>{{cite web |title=Eliza Stankovic |url=http://athhistory.imgstg.com/athletes/athlete6221.htm |website=Athletics Australia Historical Results |access-date=26 January 2015 |archive-date=17 February 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140217115624/http://athhistory.imgstg.com/athletes/athlete6221.htm |url-status=usurped}}</ref> At the 2002 [[IPC Athletics World Championships]], she competed in three events and won a silver medal in the Women's 400m T54 event.<ref name=aa /> At the [[2004 Olympic Games]], she finished second in the demonstration sport of [[Wheelchair racing at the 2004 Summer Olympics|Women's 1500 m wheelchair]] and the [[Wheelchair racing at the 2004 Summer Olympics|Women's 800 m wheelchair]].<ref>{{cite news |title=Results - Athletics : 800m wheelchair |publisher=BBC |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/olympics_2004/athletics/results/3533012.stm |access-date=10 June 2019}}</ref>  She also participated in the [[2004 Summer Paralympics]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://corporate.olympics.com.au/athlete/eliza-stankovic |title=Eliza Stankovic |publisher=Olympics Australia |access-date=16 May 2014}}</ref> At the [[2004 Summer Paralympics|2004 Athens Paralympics]], she competed in five events and did not medal.<ref name=aa /> Ault-Connell won three consecutive [[Oz Day 10K Wheelchair Road Race]] from 2004 to 2006.<ref name=aoy /> She won a bronze medal in the Women's 800m T54 at the [[2006 Commonwealth Games]] in [[Melbourne]].<ref name=aa /> At the 2006 [[IPC Athletics World Championships]], she competed in three events and won a bronze medal in the Women's 800m T54.<ref name=aa />

At the [[2019 London Marathon]] which was also the 2019 World Para Athletics Championships marathon event, she finished fourth in the Women's T46.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.paralympic.org/news/manuela-schaer-makes-it-spectacular-six-london |title=Manuela Schaer makes it spectacular six in London |last= |first= |date=28 April 2019 |website=International Paralympic Committee website |access-date=29 April 2019}}</ref> At [[2019 World Para Athletics Championships]] in [[Dubai]], she won the bronze medal in the Women's 800m T54.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.athletics.com.au/news/world-para-athletics-championships-dubai-day-6-recap/ |title=World Para Athletics Championships Dubai - Day 6 Recap |last= |first= |date= 12 November 2019|website=Athletics Australia |access-date=13 November 2019}}</ref>

She was made a [[Member of the Order of Australia]] in the [[2019 Queen's Birthday Honours (Australia)|2019 Queen's Birthday Honours]] "for significant service to community health, and as a Paralympic athlete."<ref name="AM">{{cite web |title=Queen's Birthday 2019 Honours List |url=https://www.gg.gov.au/sites/default/files/files/honours/qb/qb2019/d93nx_1jsa/Gazette%20-%20O%20of%20A.pdf |publisher=Governor General of Australia |date=10 June 2019 |access-date=10 June 2019}}{{Dead link|date=December 2019 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref>
[[File:Marathon Tokyo MM edit.jpg|alt=3 wheelchair marathon racers during race on road|left|thumb|Australian athletes Christe Dawes and Eliza Ault-Connell on the marathon course at the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games]]
She at the [[2020 Summer Paralympics|2020 Tokyo Summer Paralympics]], her second Summer Paralympics,<ref>{{Cite web |last1=Wadwell |first1=Amy |date=17 April 2021 |title=Para-athletics Stars Perris and Turner Secure Their Paralympic Passage to Tokyo |url=https://www.paralympic.org.au/2021/04/para-athletics-stars-perris-and-turner-secure-their-paralympic-passage-to-tokyo/ |url-status=live |access-date=29 April 2021 |website=Paralympics Australia |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210417030945/https://www.paralympic.org.au/2021/04/para-athletics-stars-perris-and-turner-secure-their-paralympic-passage-to-tokyo/ |archive-date=17 April 2021}}</ref> In the T54 events she qualified for the finals and came 8th in the [[Athletics at the 2020 Summer Paralympics – Women's 100 metres T54|100m]] and 7th in the [[Athletics at the 2020 Summer Paralympics – Women's 400 metres T54|400m]]. and 13th in the [[Athletics at the 2020 Summer Paralympics – Women's 400 metres T54|Marathon]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=Athletics: AULT-CONNELL Eliza |url=https://olympics.com/tokyo-2020/paralympic-games/en/results/athletics/athlete-profile-n1415952-ault-connell-eliza.htm |access-date=25 September 2021 |work=Tokyo 2020 Paralympics |publisher=[[Tokyo Organising Committee of the Olympic and Paralympic Games]] |language=en-us |archive-date=25 September 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210925033555/https://olympics.com/tokyo-2020/paralympic-games/en/results/athletics/athlete-profile-n1415952-ault-connell-eliza.htm |url-status=dead }}</ref> She announced her retirement from competitive athletics in August 2022.<ref>{{Cite web |author=Athletics Australia |title=Stankovic-Mowle Calls Time {{!}} A Shift in Focus for Paralympic Star |url=http://www.athletics.com.au/news/stankovic-mowle-calls-time-a-shift-in-focus-for-paralympic-star- |access-date=2024-07-06 |website=www.athletics.com.au |date=28 August 2022 |language=en}}</ref>

== Family ==
Stankovic was previously married to gold medal-winning Australian Paralympic athlete [[Kieran Ault-Connell]] and they have two daughters and a son.<ref name="westaust" /><ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.canberratimes.com.au/story/7395276/super-mum-back-at-paralympics-after-17-year-break/ |title=Super mum Eliza Ault-Connell returns to Paralympics after 17-year hiatus |first=James |last=Buckley |work=[[The Canberra Times]] |date=24 August 2021 |access-date=24 August 2021}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.paralympic.org/kieran-ault-connell |title=Kieran Ault-Connell - Athletics &#124; Paralympic Athlete Profile}}</ref> She also has two step daughters.<ref name=":0" />

==Recognition==
* NSWIS [[Ian Thorpe]] Grand Slam International Outstanding Achievement Award<ref name=melbourne>{{cite web |title=Eliza Stankovic |url=http://education.melbourne2006.com.au/_content/classroomresources/starting_blocks/aths_corner/TARU-profileES.htm |website=Melbourne 2006 Commonwealth Games Education Program website |accessdate=26 January 2015 |archive-date=21 September 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160921094032/http://education.melbourne2006.com.au/_content/classroomresources/starting_blocks/aths_corner/TARU-profileES.htm |url-status=dead}}</ref>
* 2002 Australian Junior Paralympian of the Year<ref name=melbourne />
* 2003 Newcastle Young Citizen of the Year<ref name=melbourne />
* 2007 Victorian State Finalist Young Australian of the Year 2007<ref name=aoy>{{cite web |title=Eliza Stankovic - Australian of the Year |url=https://www.australianoftheyear.org.au/recipients/eliza-stankovic/682/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220207071506/https://www.australianoftheyear.org.au/recipients/eliza-stankovic/682/ |url-status=dead |archive-date=7 February 2022 |website=Australian of the Year Website |accessdate=7 February 2022}}</ref>
* 2019 [[Member of the Order of Australia]]<ref name="AM"/>

==References==
{{Reflist}}

== External links ==
{{external media
|video1= [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6YHVzDdDVwo&t=13s One Plus One: Eliza Ault-Connell], One Plus One, [[ABC News (Australia)|ABC News]]
}}
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20241130111225/https://www.athletics.com.au/athlete-profiles-directory/eliza-ault/ Eliza Ault] at [[Athletics Australia]] (archive)
* [http://athletics.possumbility.com/athletes/athlete6221.htm Eliza Ault-Connell (Stankovic)] at Australian Athletics Historical Results
* {{AOC profile|eliza-stankovic|Eliza Stankovic}}
* {{CGA profile|eliza-stankovic|Eliza Stankovic}}
* {{Olympics.com|eliza-stankovich|Eliza Stankovich}}
* {{Paralympics Australia|eliza-ault-connell|Eliza Ault-Connell}}
* {{IPC athlete|eliza-ault-connell|Eliza Ault-Connell|old_id=1764936}}

{{authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Stankovic-Mowle, Eliza}}
[[Category:1981 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:Australian women wheelchair racers]]
[[Category:Olympic wheelchair racers for Australia]]
[[Category:Wheelchair racers at the 2004 Summer Olympics]]
[[Category:Paralympic athletes for Australia]]
[[Category:Paralympic wheelchair racers]]
[[Category:Wheelchair-category Paralympic competitors]]
[[Category:Athletes (track and field) at the 2004 Summer Paralympics]]
[[Category:Athletes (track and field) at the 2020 Summer Paralympics]]
[[Category:Commonwealth Games silver medallists for Australia]]
[[Category:Commonwealth Games bronze medallists for Australia]]
[[Category:Athletes (track and field) at the 2002 Commonwealth Games]]
[[Category:Athletes (track and field) at the 2006 Commonwealth Games]]
[[Category:Athletes (track and field) at the 2018 Commonwealth Games]]
[[Category:Medallists at the 2018 Commonwealth Games]]
[[Category:Australian amputees]]
[[Category:Members of the Order of Australia]]
[[Category:Sportspeople from Sydney]]
[[Category:Sportswomen from New South Wales]]
[[Category:20th-century Australian women]]
[[Category:21st-century Australian sportswomen]]
[[Category:Commonwealth Games silver medallists in athletics]]
[[Category:Commonwealth Games bronze medallists in athletics]]