The 2023 Parafed Waikato Activ8 Para Cycling Event held at Hampton Downs yesterday evening was the perfect setting to celebrate one of New Zealand’s Paralympians who competed at Tokyo 2020. Paralympian #221 Rory Mead was presented with his official numbered Paralympic pin in a special ceremony which kicked off the 2023 Parafed Waikato Activ8 Para Cycling Event.
An official numbered pin is presented to every individual who represents New Zealand at the Paralympic Games. A Paralympian receives their number once they have competed at their first Paralympic Games. PNZ first introduced the numbers in 2019 to give official recognition to Paralympians who had represented New Zealand. Mead now joins a group of 214 Paralympians who have been presented with their pins.
Mead was born and raised in Wellington. Although he has lived in the USA for around ten years now, he still considers New Zealand home. A hand cyclist in the H2 sports class, he debuted in the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games in August 2021. There he achieved two 5th place finishes in the time trial and the road race.
Mead had been a Motocross champion and was competing in the sport he loved when he sustained a spinal cord injury in 2014.
Mead explained what the recognition of the Paralympic pin signifies for him:
“New Zealand is always home. To be part of the New Zealand Paralympic Team and to represent my country at the Paralympics, it’s an amazing experience. It feels like a great achievement. To have only been in the sport three, four years and to get to go to the Tokyo 2020 Paralympics… I can’t thank everyone enough for all the support. I hope to see you at Paris in 2024!”
The event was also a reunion for Mead with his Paralympic teammates.
“I met the team in Tokyo for the Paralympics, but because of COVID I haven’t been back to New Zealand. It’s great to see everyone and to compete this afternoon with everyone!”
Parafed Waikato Vice-Chair and Paralympian #150 Tiffiney Perry coordinated the Activ8 Para Cycling Event at Hampton Downs. She said:
“It’s awesome to celebrate our New Zealand Paralympians and we loved hosting Rory Mead for his pin presentation as part of our annual event.”
PNZ congratulates the Activ8 Event winners:
- Trikes: 1st Eltje Malzbender, 2nd Stevo Hills, 3rd Jordon Millroy
- Hand cycles: 1st Rory Mead, 2nd Tiffiney Perry, 3rd Jono Nelson
- Bikes: 1st Nicole Murray, 2nd Anna Taylor, 3rd Sarah Ellington
- Tandems: 1st Hannah Pascoe and Sophie Williamson, 2nd Kyren Andrews and Kurt Coetzee, 3rd Unity Collins and Claire Moava Sherrington
- Novice: Thomas Szabo
Paralympics New Zealand would like to thank Parafed Waikato for including the pin presentation in their Activ8 Para Cycling Event, and for hosting a fantastic event.
