Experienced heads lead athletics team
Two former Paralympians head the New Zealand track and field team for the Rio Paralympic Games.
London 2012 Paralympian, javelin thrower Holly Robinson and Beijing 2008 shot-putter Jessica Hamill will be joined by four rising stars, Rory McSweeney, Liam Malone, Anna Grimaldi and William Stedman will make their debut.
The Kiwi contingent are all currently ranked in the top five in the world for their respective events.
They all competed at the 2015 IPC Athletics World Championships in Doha last October, coming home with four medals (two silver, two bronze) and breaking 13 New Zealand records.
Together, they are expected to play a significant role in New Zealand’s campaign at the Rio 2016 Paralympic Games, which start on September 7, two and a half weeks after the end of the Olympic Games.
Robinson, hopes to fulfil a long held dream of winning a medal when she competes in Rio. The Dunedin-based Hokitika athlete is currently ranked number one in the world in a highly competitive Women’s Javelin F46 field. Holly plans to draw on her strong work ethic to better her bronze medal in Doha.
‘‘I am thrilled to be representing New Zealand at my second Paralympic Games,’’ Robinson said. ‘‘London 2012 was such an amazing experience and I cannot wait to compete at the first Paralympic Games ever to be hosted in a South American city.’’
Hamill, will return to the New Zealand Paralympic team with a renewed drive after a short break from competition. She won a silver medal in the shotput F34 class at the 2015 IPW athletics world championships. Stedman, Malone, McSweeney and Grimaldi will be attending their first Paralympics. All four have been acclerated through Paralympics New Zealand and Athletics New Zealand talent identification programmes.
McSweeney competed in his third world championships in Doha last year, winning a silver medal in the men’s javelin F44 and with a personal best throw.
Malone, affectionately known as ‘‘New Zealand’s blade runner’’, is currently ranked first in the world in the T43/44 200m and 400m and second in the 100m event.
Grimaldi only entered the [para-athletics world just over three years ago. She won a world championships bronze medal in the women’s long jump T47.
Stedman, 16, is the youngest member of the team. The Christchurch teenager attended the London 2012 Paralympic Games as a spectator and was inspired to get into para-athletics. He had three top 10 finishes in both track and field events at the 2015 IPC world championships.
The para-athletics announcement takes the number of New Zealand Paralympians to 24 in four sports – athletics, cycling, swimming and sailing.