Australian of the Year and Paralympian Dylan Alcott met his perfect match in his wax replica at Madame Tussauds Sydney. Alcott is the first subject in a wheelchair for the wax museum, that was founded in 1835 by French sculptor Marie Tussaud.
A clearly impressed Alcott said “It is a huge honour to be here for this important representation of people with disability and see someone like me in here is pretty cool. It was a privilege to be involved and hopefully people with disability around the world will follow suit. It can be powerful for say a six-year-old girl in a wheelchair to see this and think I can do that.”
He also commented on the authenticity of the statue that includes a genuine wheelchair. There is an interactive display for people to try the ‘Serve like Dylan’ experience, guided by commentary from Alcott, where visitors can sit in a replica wheelchair to test their playing skills.
Speaking at the event, Madame Tussauds general manager Richard Dilly said Alcott’s advocacy to drive change and represent diversity was awe-inspiring. “After a nine-month process we have added another milestone to his list of achievements. This new figure at Madame Tussauds Sydney will give guests some insights into the world of wheelchair sport.”
Alcotts waxwork statue will join other famous sports people, movie stars, royalty, politicians and historical figures at the Darling Harbour site.
To celebrate International Day of People with Disability the museum is donating $1 from every ticket sale from December 3-10 to the Dylan Alcott Foundation.