Former Pongakawa School pupil, diagnosed with polio in his early 20s, Jim started wheelchair sport in 1966. Jim was a member of New Zealand’s very first Paralympic Games Team competing at the Tel Aviv 1968 Paralympic Games. He went onto represent New Zealand again at 3 following Paralympic Games in Para archery, Para athletics and Para table tennis. He won 2 bronze medals in Men’s Shot Put in 1972 and 1976. Jim has also been a lifelong volunteer and community servant: he taught St John’s in Kawerau, raised money for cancer charities, served as a town councillor, he was the first life member of Parafed Bay of Plenty and founded the Kawerau Paraplegic Association and the Friendly Games. Jim was awarded an MBE in the 1977 New Years Honours, and later a Paralympics New Zealand Order of Merit in 2001 for his outstanding services to Paralympic sport. A feature story on Jim Savage can be found here.
Jim officially received his ‘numbered’ Paralympic pin as part of The Celebration Project in Tauranga in July 2019.
Jim passed away on 20 February 2023 aged 86 years.
