Back to Tokyo
Some NZ names to watch in the upcoming Paralympics.
After arguably our most successful Olympics, the 2020 Paralympic Games in Tokyo brings an opportunity for our disabled athletes to remind us they are also among the world’s best.
New Zealand is sending a 28-strong team to the twoweek festival that begins with Tuesday night’s opening ceremony, competing in swimming, athletics, cycling, shooting, canoeing and wheelchair rugby. Although much is made of our fully able-bodied Olympians’ competitiveness on a per capita basis, our Paralympics prowess has been even more impressive since we came 10th per capita for medals won at Athens in 2004. In London in 2012, we were ranked first and we retained that position four years later in Rio, bringing home 21 medals.
Carrying the most weight of expectation from 2016 is swimmer Sophie Pascoe, our most decorated Paralympian, with 15 medals won at three previous games. Her Rio haul included five medals – golds in backstroke, butterfly and the individual medley, in which she set a world record.
Other medallists backing up include swimmer Nikita Howarth, who won gold in her 200m individual medley classification and bronze in 50m butterfly; long-jumper Anna Grimaldi (gold); Holly Robinson (javelin, silver) and William Stedman ( bronze in the 400m and 800m athletics). Another name that will ring bells is Lisa Adams, younger sibling of Dame Valerie – her coach – and Steven. Diagnosed at an early age with cerebral palsy, the 30-year-old broke the New Zealand para shot-put record in her first competition in 2018 and went on to claim New Zealand titles in shot-put and discus that year. One year later, she broke the women’s shot-put world record at the 2019 World Para Athletics Championships in Dubai.
Among a well-regarded cycling squad, Sarah Ellington made her debut in 2017 following an accident in 2015, and has gone on to win three world championship medals in track and road events. And Eltje Malzbender will be another to watch, after she burst on to the scene with two world titles at the 2019 road world championships. Malzbender, who has a traumatic brain injury, will become our first female Paralympic trike cyclist.
TVNZ’s Duke channel will be devoted to covering the games, starting with the opening ceremony on Tuesday night. Coverage from Wednesday starts at 11.55am and continues until about 1.00am, with a hefty New Zealand focus. Most events will air live, apart from the odd time clash. Studio anchor will be 1 News’ Emily van Velthooven, joined by former para-swimmer Rebecca Dubber during the day and former Wheel Black Grant Sharman in the evenings. Broadcast partner Attitude Pictures will extend the on-air coverage with features on Duke and daily highlights packages from 9.00am on TVNZ 1. In-depth highlights will also be shown on Duke and be available on TVNZ OnDemand.
WEDNESDAY: Day-time cover- age features New Zealanders in swimming ( Jesse Reynolds in the S9 400m freestyle heats; Sophie Pascoe in the S10 50m freestyle heats), track cycling (Sarah Ellington Anna Taylor and Nicole Murray) and wheelchair rugby, with the Wheel Blacks playing USA. In the evening, it’s back to the pool for finals, while Australia play Denmark in wheelchair rugby.
THURSDAY: Swimming including Sophie Pascoe in the SB9 100m breaststroke heats; track cycling. Evening coverage includes swimming finals and the Wheel Blacks vs Great Britain.
FRIDAY: Swimming heats (Tupou Neiufi in the S8 100m backstroke and Nikita Howarth in the SM7 200m individual medley) continue in the afternoon, with finals at night. Track and field begins and cycling continues (Nicole Murray and Anna Taylor in the C4-5 500m time trial). In the evening, there are more swimming finals, Ben Tuimaseve in the shotput F37 final and the Wheel Blacks vs Canada. l