Being Me: Jono
At birth, Jono Nelson was given just 24 hours to live. Now the Timaru-based hand cyclist, who lives ...
Bailley's Story: Flying high after devastating balcony collapse
Bailley Unahi’s young life changed forever when a balcony fell on her, but it didn’t stop her settin...
What's Your Possibility? Rebecca Dubber
Rebecca is an accomplished Paralympian swimmer, with 4 medals over her career. Shakti and Rebecca ta...
Being Me: Erica
Born with a rare condition that affects her outward appearance, Erica Perry proves it’s what’s on th...
Tracking Towards Tokyo
Townsville, Australia is home to the 2019 Oceania Champs. This is the last chance for seven Kiwi par...
Being Me: Cody Steps Up
Tetraplegia hasn’t stopped wheelchair rugby star Cody Everson from stepping up to adulthood. He owns...
Bulletproof: Jezza
A canyoning accident in Switzerland left Jezza Williams a tetraplegic. An adventurer at heart, just ...
In My Mind: Breaking Point
To endure a breakdown at the pinnacle of your sporting career is tough. Former NRL star Paul Whatuir...
Bulletproof: Tim
Tim Young was on the trip of a lifetime in Canada when a snowboarding accident left him a tetraplegi...
Being Me: Rachel Māia
Rachel Māia lives in constant pain, considering amputating her leg to reach new heights.
Bulletproof: Matthew
Carefree farmer Matt Bryson lost his leg in an accident on the family farm four years ago. He contin...
Bulletproof: Ephraim
A 35-metre jump off a waterfall left newlywed Ephraim Gudgeon with a spinal injury. The self-confess...
Bulletproof: Bailley
Bailley Unahi was crushed when a balcony collapsed on her at a student concert in Dunedin. Paralysed...
Bulletproof: Gareth
A daring university stunt that went horribly wrong left Gareth Lynch with a permanent spinal injury....
Bulletproof: Sophia
Sophia Malthus became a quadriplegic after being thrown off her horse. Follow this sassy young woman...
Being Us: Nathan and Michael
A friendship born out of a love for sport, Nathan and Michael's fates aligned thanks to their passio...
Jarrod's Second Life
Jarrod was like any other typical teenager, active and outgoing until a heart attack came out of the...
Tetraplegia: Tragedy To Triumph
Amanda Lowry was once a hard-core adrenalin junkie, living an action-packed life on the water, but t...
Wheel Blacks Special: Part 2
Wheel Blacks Special: Part 1
Are the Wheelblacks on track for gold in Beijing? They brought home medals in Sydney and Athens and ...
Being Me Nick
Nick Chisholm is a body builder whose body is paralysed, a talker who spells words out with his eyes...
My Perfect Family: Family Man Graeme
When Graeme Porter was diagnosed with an intellectual disability as a child no one expected him to r...
My Alive Day
Cameron Clapp was 15 years old when he was hit by a freight train. It took both his legs and an arm,...
Time to Shine: Special Olympics World Games
It's the biggest sporting event of the year - the Special Olympics World Games. For 36 kiwi athletes...
Sam's Big Adventure
Sam Muir-James can swim to Rangitoto Island, perform magic tricks and make children laugh. He doesn'...
Keeping Up With Chris
When Chris Bunton was born with Down Syndrome his parents wondered if he'd ever achieve the independ...
Baby Charlotte Grows Up
Charlotte Cleverley-Bisman lost her limbs to meningitis as a baby. Now she's 11, and learning to do ...
Jono Brownjohn: Raising the Bar
Jono Brownjohn has more power in one leg than many track athletes with two. He wants gold at the Par...
Hear Me Run
Sekou Kenneh is the fastest kid in Queensland. At 14 he's got his eye on the 2020 Olympics. But bein...
Marcia: Two Sides Of Me
On the Roller Derby court she's the revered 'Meat Train', but Marcia is starting to lose her hearing...
Philip's Puppets
Meet Philip - a quirky puppeteer living with Autism. With the help of 2 puppets he's spreading a mes...
Maia and Letitia
Maia Amai's face was ravaged in a car fire when she was a toddler. She barely left the house until c...
Green and Golden Couple
Chris Bond and Bridie Kean are both amputees who wear their scars with pride. This couple knows a lo...
When Anthea Met Micheal
Anthea and Michael might seem like an unlikely couple, but the soul mates say they can read each oth...
Scott's Comeback
After loosing his leg from a rugby injury, Scott Martlew thought his dreams of becoming an elite ath...
The Rise of Mary Fisher
Mary Fisher lost what little vision she had during her teens. As her eyesight deteriorate, her swimm...
The Lily Harper Show
Hosting her own chat show Lily Harper interviews herself, getting the low down on life as an indepen...
PTSD at Sea
An Australian soldier confronts his fears both on and off the water as he embarks on an epic adventu...
Barnes and Dodson: Back At The Helm
Kiwi Sailors David Barnes and Rick Dodson have enjoyed successful careers at the top of their field,...
Maia
Maia Amai bears brutal scars - the result of a car fire when she was just 18mth olds. A subsequent s...
The Deaf Side: Part 3
The final installment of the three part series about the Marlins, a club rugby team made up of entir...
The Deaf Side: Part 2
Continue the mini-series with the Marlins; a group of rugby mad blokes who all happen to be Deaf. Fo...
The Deaf Side: Part 1
The first of a 3 part series about the Marlins; a group of rugby mad Kiwi blokes who all happen to b...
Cody's New Game
After breaking his neck in a ruby game, 17-year-old Cody Everson has and to adjust to life in a whee...
Clayton's Quest for Gold
Competitive Weight Lifter Clayton Marr squeezes a lot into his day but most importantly, training fo...
Cameron Comes of Age
In everything he does, Cameron has had to find his own way. Born without fully formed arms and legs,...
Stefan Hadfield: Pushing too far
Stefan Hadfield is an extreme sportsman and his latest achievement has astounded the world's medical...
Skating for Glory
Ben Southern's one objective is to deliver the greatest performance of his life at the Special Olymp...
Skateboard Kevin: Skateboarding Traveller
American exchange student Kevin Connolly has no legs, he's traveling the world on his skateboard
Nikita Howarth
Nikita Howarth is a Para swimmer aiming to compete at the rescheduled Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games, c...
Gareth Lynch
Gareth Lynch is a Wheelchair rugby player as part of New Zealand’s Wheel Blacks. Four years ago, Lyn...
Ben Tuimaseve
Ben Tuimaseve is a Para athlete that competes in Para athletics, with a focus on shot put. Tuimaseve...
Nikita Howarth
Nikita Howarth is a Para swimmer aiming to compete at the rescheduled Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games, c...
Love Is Blind: Tim & Helen
Tim was a professional athlete with the Wheel Blacks and didn't want a girlfriend. But when Helen he...
Tupou's Life Was Changed in a Moment
Tupou Seini Neiufi was hit by a car when she was just two years old. Brain injury and hemiplegia mea...
Special Olympics Figure Skater: Meg
Meg was mesmerised by the sparkly dresses when she first watched figure skating on TV. After her 9th...
New Zealand’s top seven para-athletes recently competed at the 2019 Oceania athletics championships in Townsville Australia, all vying for spots in the 2020 Tokyo Paralympic team.
Raylene Bates or ‘Mumma Bear’ as she is fondly known, is the athletics New Zealand high- performance lead coach and she believes the event is important.
“The developmental championship event provides more experience for some and a first international competition for others.”
The youngest athlete in the team, 18-year-old Joshua Lush, is a para long-jumper who represented Australia, before moving to New Zealand to represent his parent’s country, and pursue more athletics opportunities.
Joshua has an intellectual impairment called T20, which is like “a missing chromosome in your brain,” and Scheuermann's disease, a genetic variation causing a curvature of the spine.
Having already qualified for the team to Tokyo, his jumps in Townsville we’re about pushing himself in a competition. Jumping 6.18 metres, he was 20 centimetres off his personal best, but remains confident there’s plenty more in the tank.
Holly Robinson is a seasoned Paralympian, coming away from previous competitions with silver and bronze medals for javelin. She was born without her left arm, and while it used to hold her back, now she takes every opportunity.
“Growing up I was very self-conscious of my arm, there was a lot of underestimation about my ability but I’ve found through sport that I could really thrive.”
“Growing up I was very self-conscious of my arm, there was a lot of underestimation about my ability but I’ve found through sport that I could really thrive.”
In the past year, Holly has broken the world record for her classification at the Australian track and field champs and already qualified for Tokyo but is using the Oceania Championships as an opportunity to practice and focus on technique.
Because all competitors have different levels of ability, end results are calculated based on timings rather than actual placings.
Jess Gillan has been competing for 12 years and has previously won bronze for her seated shot-put. She competes in the F34 class, defined by having two limbs affected.
“I often compete against people who have had strokes.”
For Jess (who is ranked number four in the world), this championship is a good chance for her to get back into the swing of competing against others. She threw 7.68m, her best throw of the season.
A newcomer to the scene, 19-year-old Amy Dunn showed off her skills in shot-put, discus and javelin.
“In 2016 I met my coach through an open day, and from the following week I started training and haven’t stopped since. I competed through secondary school and hold three world records for shot put, discus and javelin.”
She threw her personal best, 5.42 metres, but is still looking for ways to refine her technique and gain millimetres.
For shot putter Ben Tuimaseve or ‘Benza’ this is his first time competing internationally. Benza has Hemiplegia, a form of cerebral palsy, which affects the left side of his body,
“It just makes things a little bit harder, but it’s part of you and doesn’t define you.”
For many athletes The Oceania Championships were their first exposure to the set-up of a large-scale competition. They learned to live in the village setting and learning the processes for big competitions.
Lisa Adams, sister to Valerie and Steven has risen quickly to the top of her game in shot-put having broken the world record within her first 18 months of competing. She has mild cerebral palsy, which impacts the entire left side of her body.
“My brain is telling me to do something and the message doesn’t always get there.”
Raylene is confident in her abilities, “we are expecting big things from her.”
Lisa likens her sport to having a baby, “It’s ten minutes between each throw, like labour.”
She threw 15.2 metres, an unofficial world record for her class.
Libby Leikis is a sprinter with cerebral palsy, her right side is weak but she says she “just has to deal with it.”
Due to her disability she is prone to erratic spasms while running — although it can depend on the day. Her coach Mike Ritchie has been working with her on strength, posture and placement when striking the ground to improve speed.
Raylene is positively shining in the wake of the success of the competition.
“Each and every one of the athletes has performed beyond what I expected. Anytime an athlete succeeds you’re really really happy, oh yes mumma bear is very proud.”
Being Me: Rachel Māia
Rachel Māia lives in constant pain, considering amputating her leg to reach new heights.
Being Me: Cody Steps Up
Tetraplegia hasn’t stopped wheelchair rugby star Cody Everson from stepping up to adulthood. He owns...
Tracking Towards Tokyo
Townsville, Australia is home to the 2019 Oceania Champs. This is the last chance for seven Kiwi par...
Jono Brownjohn: Raising the Bar
Jono Brownjohn has more power in one leg than many track athletes with two. He wants gold at the Par...
The Rise of Mary Fisher
Mary Fisher lost what little vision she had during her teens. As her eyesight deteriorate, her swimm...
Attitude Awards 2019: Preview
The 12th Annual Attitude Awards celebrate the achievements of people making a positive impact in the...
What's Your Possibility? Rebecca Dubber
Rebecca is an accomplished Paralympian swimmer, with 4 medals over her career. Shakti and Rebecca ta...
Love Is Blind: Tim & Helen
Tim was a professional athlete with the Wheel Blacks and didn't want a girlfriend. But when Helen he...
Tupou's Life Was Changed in a Moment
Tupou Seini Neiufi was hit by a car when she was just two years old. Brain injury and hemiplegia mea...
Nikita Howarth
Nikita Howarth is a Para swimmer aiming to compete at the rescheduled Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games, c...
Gareth Lynch
Gareth Lynch is a Wheelchair rugby player as part of New Zealand’s Wheel Blacks. Four years ago, Lyn...
Ben Tuimaseve
Ben Tuimaseve is a Para athlete that competes in Para athletics, with a focus on shot put. Tuimaseve...
Being Me: Barney Looks Back
Barney lost his hands and legs from meningitis as a baby. At 25, he looks back on the life lessons ...
The Disease That Is Killing My Family: Part 5
For years we've been told to eat less and move more and that we are in control of what we eat; but p...
Maia and Letitia
Maia Amai's face was ravaged in a car fire when she was a toddler. She barely left the house until c...
Being Me: Hayley
17-year-old double amputee, Haley Birch is breaking records. Having survived meningococcal disease, ...
Being Me: Robbie
Robbie Francis is 27, and doing her bit to change the world. She's bringing together disability, sus...
Maia
Maia Amai bears brutal scars - the result of a car fire when she was just 18mth olds. A subsequent s...
The Disease That Is Killing My Family: Part 2
Brian Kairau can't feel his feet. Years of Type 2 Diabetes has damaged the small blood vessels leavi...
Bulletproof: Matthew
Carefree farmer Matt Bryson lost his leg in an accident on the family farm four years ago. He contin...
Barney Makes a Difference
Barney lost his hands and legs after an aggressive bout of meningitis. Now a high achiever, Barney i...
The Disease That Is Killing My Family: Part 1
Type 2 Diabetes is one of the most serious public health issues facing New Zealanders. What is it li...
The Disease That Is Killing My Family: Part 4
Type 2 Diabetes is now the leading cause of death in Samoa. It threatens to overwhelm the health sys...
Where Are They Now? Bea Learns to Dance
Bea Wuts was 4 years old when both her feet were amputated. Now 8, Bea is a keen swimmer and horse r...
Green and Golden Couple
Chris Bond and Bridie Kean are both amputees who wear their scars with pride. This couple knows a lo...
Lilly's Legs
Lilly Lomas had both legs amputated. She is now learning to walk on prosthetics; maybe her heroines ...
Life with a Backwards Foot
Seventeen-year old Sean Prenderville survived aggressive cancer in his thigh bone and underwent a ra...
Being Me: Ripu
Ripu was 21, living in Sydney and finishing a Masters in Journalism when meningococcal septicaemia n...
Frontline Paramedic
Paramedic, Derek Eady, lost his leg after falling 5m from his own roof. He's refusing to give up on ...
Jono Brownjohn: Raising the Bar
Jono Brownjohn has more power in one leg than many track athletes with two. He wants gold at the Par...
Scott's Comeback
After loosing his leg from a rugby injury, Scott Martlew thought his dreams of becoming an elite ath...
The Disease That Is Killing My Family: Part 3
At 52, former gang leader turned youth worker Brian Kairau has one more dream left: riding a Harley.
Being Me: Brylee
At six, Brylee Mills lost her arm, and has been coming to terms with it ever since. She's embarking ...
My Alive Day
Cameron Clapp was 15 years old when he was hit by a freight train. It took both his legs and an arm,...
Rotationplasty: My Backwards Foot
Having beaten an aggressive cancer in his thigh bone, 14-year-old Sean Prendeville is now facing a r...
Baby Charlotte Grows Up
Charlotte Cleverley-Bisman lost her limbs to meningitis as a baby. Now she's 11, and learning to do ...
SheLift Part 1
Each year girls and women with various abilities and limb differences from all over the States meet ...
SheLift: Part 2
Each year girls and women with various abilities and limb differences from all over the States meet ...
Cameron Comes of Age
In everything he does, Cameron has had to find his own way. Born without fully formed arms and legs,...
Wheel Blacks Special: Part 2
Wheel Blacks Special: Part 1
Are the Wheelblacks on track for gold in Beijing? They brought home medals in Sydney and Athens and ...
What's Your Possibility? Paddy Walsh
Shakti has a chat with Paddy Walsh. Paddy, a 15 year old amputee and sportswoman talks to Shakti abo...
Question Time: Living with a Prosthetic Leg
In this episode of Question Time, we are asking Robbie about living with a prosthetic leg. Made wit...
Question Time: Septicaemia Survivor
Five years ago Korrin's life turned upside down when she contracted sepsis which resulted in amputat...
Love Is Blind: Korin & Craig
When Korrin lost her hands and feet to septicaemia, Craig was by her side the whole time. Korrin had...
Diabetes: The Silent Killer
Type 2 diabetes is New Zealand’s silent killer. More than 250,000 Kiwis live with it; a further 100,...
Ian's first steps
Iron Man Ian Winson lost both his legs in a freak gas explosion two years ago. He desperately wants ...
Being Me: Kasem
13-year-old refugee Kasem lost his leg and much of his upper arm in a bomb attack in Syria, which al...
Ian's story: How I lost my legs and found freedom
Though things looked bleak after a deadly explosion, Ian Winson didn't let it dampen his determinati...
