As a 20-year-old Sholto Taylor (Ngāti Kahungunu) was a competent sportsman. After a car accident he was left tetraplegic. Soon after Sholto found refuge and camaraderie through Wheelchair rugby and still does. Four-time Paralympian Sholto began his impressive streak at the Atlanta 1996 Paralympic Games, winning his first Paralympic bronze medal. The team repeated the achievement with another bronze in Sydney in 2000 leading to the historical success of the team in Athens 2004 when they won a Paralympic gold medal against Canada.
Sholto also had the honour of being the flag bearer for the New Zealand Paralympic Team at the opening ceremony at the Beijing 2008 Paralympic Games. Sholto is not ashamed to say that he ‘cried when the team failed to qualify for London Paralympics in 2012’. The Canterbury Chargers captain is now helping others in a similar situation at the Burwood Spinal Unit in Christchurch.
