Rawiri sets sights on Paralympics
Teen putting in the hours in pool to reach goal
Rawiri Tristram-Brown knows that if he does the mahi then he gets a shot at the treats. Most kids his age would struggle at the thought of waking up at 5.30am to get ready for swimming training, but he knows putting in the hard work can open up new worlds.
Rawiri, 15, was born with spina bifida — an incomplete closing of the backbone and membranes around the spinal cord — which has required regular surgery throughout his life.
He is unable to walk. Basic daily tasks that most people take for granted are a challenge, yet his biggest asset, his attitude and perseverance, means he does more and competes in more sports than most able-bodied people.
These days the focus is mostly on swimming and basketball. He trains six days a week in the pool. Some mornings he hits the water at Levin Aquatic Centre at 6am, while every other day he travels to the Lido pool in Palmerston North for afternoon training and coaching.
He can spend as much as 12 hours each week in the pool. He listens to music through earbuds during the long hours of training and has loaded 520 songs onto his playlist. “The music helps,” he said. That training ethic helped him as he swam the race of his life at the Victoria State Championships in Melbourne last month, a World Series event, winning bronze in the 400m freestyle.
Athletes competing at the Melbourne event had a range of disabilities although Rawiri was one of few competing without the use of both legs, making his medal effort even more meritorious.
Over the nine days of competition in Melbourne he competed in nine events and despite bettering his personal best times in every heat and race final it wasn’t until his final event, the 400m freestyle, that he was able to win a medal.
He swam that event in 6min 50sec, shaving more than six seconds off his previous best time for the distance.
Rawiri works with Palmerston North-based swimming coach Lin Tozer, who was impressed by his dedication and he joined her stable of swimmers a few years ago.
It was the same attitude that saw him awarded the Spirit of the Games award at the 2018 Halberg Junior Disability Games.
Rawiri wanted other potential para-athletes to give swimming a try and has joined the Parafed Committee in an attempt to encourage more para-swimmers.
His next big swimming event is the National Age Grade Swimming Championship (Nags) at Hastings in April. He swam nine personal best times at the corresponding event last year, while a long-term goal is to qualify for the 2028 Summer Paralympics Games in Los Angeles.
“It’s going to be four years of hard work,” he said.
Rawiri said he appreciated the support he received from sponsors, which helped towards the cost of attending competitions. His swimming gear was sponsored by Arena and his basketball sponsorship came from Melrose Wheelchairs.
Outside of sport, Rawiri is a keen artist and photographer and also plays piano.
Rawiri has been raised from a young age by his grandparents Roy Freeguard anxd Mabel Tasker.
To say they are proud of Rawiri and his every achievement is like saying there is heat coming from the Sun.