Sport NZ para cycling champion Jono Nelson to retire
Jono Nelson has overcome many obstacles in his life but, after 15 years’ slog, the sixtime New Zealand champion para cyclist is putting the brakes on a stellar career.
The 40-year-old Timaru para athlete has competed at a para cycling world championships event and in six world cup races, and is a six-time New Zealand para cycling champion in both time trial and road race.
“I feel the time is right to move on to other opportunities in my life, as I feel I no longer have the dedication and motivation to be an elite athlete,’’ Nelson said.
“And there are now other goals I want to achieve outside cycling.’’
He said he had mixed emotions about his decision. He had spent the past 12 months deliberating on it and, having won the New Zealand para cycling championships in both time trial and road race in Cambridge at the weekend, it would be nice to leave on a high.
“Retirement feels like a grieving process, to be fair. It’s going to take me a wee while to adjust to normal life.’’
Life before retirement included training six days a week, and equating to between 150km and 300km, he said.
He had become a familiar site on the roads around Kellands Hill, Fairview and Claremont in Timaru, but said he would not stop cycling altogether, so people would still see him around. However, this time the rides would be for enjoyment, not racing against a clock, he said.
Nelson, who has spina bifida, a condition that affects the spine, said he could still remember the feeling of hand cycling at high speed for the first time.
“In 2009, in Christchurch, I hopped in a hand cycle and the sense of speed was just awesome. I can still remember the first time I went down Kellands Hill and got to 70km an hour.’’
He said back then inclusion was not a thing.
“It has changed now but there is still some room for improvement. It’s all about education.’’
He said he liked to think he was an inspiration to other young para athletes, and was a patron of Special Olympics South Canterbury, and part of the region’s Halberg Sport Programme.
Other challenges in his career included, at the top of the list, the 192km K2 Cycle Challenge on the Coromandel Peninsula in 2021, when he braved brutal weather to become the first hand cyclist to complete one of the toughest one-day cycle challenges in New Zealand. He was also filmed for the Attitude programme during the event.
“Closer to home I have also completed Le Race across Banks Peninsula, another very tough challenge, and I hold the record for the fastest hand cycle time at the Auckland Marathon.’’
Having taken up te reo Māori three years ago, Nelson was now studying level 3 te reo at Ara in Timaru and said the language had been of great interest to him. “I wish I put the same attention into my school work all those years ago, as I do into my te reo.’’
Over the next five years he hoped to become fluent in the language and ran a Saturday morning coffee group in Timaru with the aim of speaking as much te reo as possible.
He said over the years “Team Nelson’’ had been a large network of support people. He thanked his coach John Rich who had taught him a lot about cycling, and also about music. He said the South Canterbury community had always been supportive and he did not want to single anyone out for fear of missing someone.
He also acknowledged his “number one supporter’’, wife Sharon Nelson, who had “been my rock since day one’’.
For now he was looking forward to spending more time with Sharon and enjoying life.
“I’ll also continue with riding and being active, but now it will be strictly for fun.’’
He encouraged others to make the most of situations and work hard.
“Whāia te iti kahurangi – strive for something of great value.’’