Rebecca Dubber had an amazing performance at the Rio 2016 Paralympic Games, winning bronze in the Women’s 100m Backstroke S7, and placing 4th in the Women’s 400m Freestyle S7.
Rebecca was thrilled by her bronze medal performance after overcoming several frustrating seasons of injury.
Rebecca was born in Auckland in 1993, and discovered at a young age she was a natural in the water. She joined the North Shore Swim Club at age 11.
Rebecca earned a bronze medal in the Women’s 100m Backstroke S7 at the 2010 IPC Swimming World Championships. Yet her hopes of climbing the podium at the London 2012 Paralympics were marred by an injury, which hampered preparation and left her “gutted“ to settle for fifth place in her two events. Rebecca endured more frustration in 2013, missing the entire season as she underwent double elbow surgery.
Yet despite her interrupted preparation, Rebecca won gold in the Women’s 100m Backstroke S7 and silver in the Women’s 400m Freestyle S7 at the 2014 Pan Pacific Para Swimming Championships .
She went-on to win a pair of silver medals in the same events at the 2015 IPC Swimming World Championships in Glasgow, boosting her confidence ahead of the Rio 2016 Paralympics.
Rebecca’s bronze medal swim contributed to the New Zealand Paralympic team’s stunning 21 medals across 12 individual medallists in 2016 (9 gold, 5 silver and 7 bronze). The Team finished first in the world per capita and 13th in the world overall (previous best: 16th).
In 2019 Rebecca Dubber announced she will be retiring from the sport of Para swimming to focus on her career. Dubber now has a permanent position with the Halberg Foundation, in a role that she loves and keeps her connected to her passions for sport and breaking down barriers.
Rebecca officially received her ‘numbered’ Paralympic pin as part of The Celebration Project in Auckland in May 2019.
The New Zealand Olympic Committee announced that Rebecca was one of 18 athletes selected to their Wahine Toa programme in May 2023.
