As a teenager, John hoped to become an All Black. Following a motorcycle accident, another amputee encouraged him to become New Zealand’s first amputee Paralympian.
John was a member of the Arnhem 1980 Paralympic Games Team and competed in Para athletics and Para swimming. John then moved to Australia and competed at a further 4 Paralympic Games, this time in gold and green.
He later returned to New Zealand and is now High Performance Para Athletics Throws Coach developing Paralympians of the future.
John officially received his ‘numbered’ Paralympic pin as part of The Celebration Project in Auckland in May 2019.
