Locals from Dunedin and surrounding areas will be treated to a showcase of Para sport this Saturday at the ACC Paralympics New Zealand Open Day. The event will be held at Forsyth Barr Stadium from 10am to 3pm. The public will have the opportunity to discover a variety of Para sports for all levels including Para athletics, Wheelchair rugby, Wheelchair basketball, winter Para sports, shooting Para sport, Goalball, Para table tennis and Boccia. They will also be able to connect with organisations such as Be Accessible and Blind Sports NZ.
Hometown boy and multiple Paralympic medallist Adam Hall will attend, with his PyeongChang 2018 Paralympics team mate, Para snowboarder Carl Murphy. They will be joined by Rio 2016 gold medallist Anna Grimaldi and her Rio 2016 team mates Caitlin Dore and Jacob Phillips.
Hall said: “From my experience at recent Open Day events there will be many people that come along on Saturday that enter the Stadium curious and leave informed and inspired to start their Para sport journey. With so many Para sports under one roof it really is a great opportunity for anyone with a disability and their family and friends to find out what is available in the area. Who knows what future champions we might discover!“
A highlight of the day for many is likely to be the opportunity to meet and speak with the five Paralympians to learn about their Paralympic journey, their Paralympic Games experiences and find out what lies ahead for the champions.
The event is run in conjunction with Parafed Otago and will build on the success of recent ACC Paralympics New Zealand Open Days in Wellington, New Plymouth, Auckland and Tauranga. The events aim to promote Para sport in local communities and attract new participants at all levels, from community Para sport through to the elite high performance level. Several other providers, including Parafed Otago and National Sports Organisations, will be on-site to showcase opportunities for disabled people. PNZ classifiers and high performance team members will work with participants to explore their physical capabilities and interest in the various Para sports available.
The Open Days are available for anyone with a disability and are free events.
