The Australian Pearls: World Champions Who Need Your Support

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Despite being the current 3x3 and 5x5 World Champions, the Pearls remain largely self-funded, and they need your support to win Gold in 2027!

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The Pearls are Australia’ s national representative team for female athletes with an intellectual impairment. The Pearls represent Australia on the international stage in such events as the Virtus (formally INAS) World Championships and Global Games. Producing arguably one of Australia’s most successful, long term sporting teams, the Australian Pearls program isn’t powered by big budgets — it’s powered by determination, pride, and community. Since winning Gold at the Paralympics in 1992, the Pearls have dominated the world stage for over 30 years. Despite being the current 3x3 and 5x5 World Champions, the Australian Pearls remain largely self‑funded, and that’s where you can make a real difference. In 2026, the Pearls will take the court at the World Cup in Bangkok, followed by the 2027 Global Games in Egypt — two of the biggest stages in international sport. But for these elite athletes to represent Australia, each player must raise over $5,000 just to secure her place on the team. These women train relentlessly. They compete with heart. They carry the green and gold with pride. Facts about the Australian Pearls:<ul><li>They have medalled at every international event since their debut in the 1992 Paralympics</li><li>They have won more medals than any other Australian basketball team and potentially more than any other Australian national sporting team</li><li>They have been playing 3x3 since 2015 and in global 3x3 tournaments, Australia is the only country to always field 2 teams, leading the way for more female participation</li><li>Across 34 years of outstanding contribution to women&#39;s basketball, the Pearls have won 10 Gold, 11 Silver and 7 Bronze medals</li><li>Players age from 16 - 28, 3 of which have have been in the team for 12 years!</li><li>The coaching staff have racked up an incredible 93 years of support for this program - with Head Coach, Larry Davidson, the coach for 30 years</li><li>80 Australian women have earnt the right to be an Australian Pearl.</li></ul> Your support helps ensure the Pearls can continue to shine on the world stage — not because they can afford to, but because they’ve earned it. More information on the Australian Pearls can be found here: https://www.australia.basketball/national-teams/pearls/about GO PEARLS!!!