Atlanta 1996 Paralympic Team group photo

New Zealand at the Atlanta 1996 Paralympic Games

  • 34 kiwi Paralympians, including 7 returning Paralympians and 27 debutants
  • The New Zealand Paralympic Team included 28 male and 6 female Paralympians
  • 7 Para sports competed in – Para athletics, Boccia, Para equestrian, Para lawn bowls, Para sailing, Shooting Para sport, Para swimming, Wheelchair rugby, Wheelchair tennis
  • 19 medals won by New Zealand – 9 GOLD, 6 SILVER and 4 BRONZE*
  • 19th in the world overall in the medal standings*
  • Paralympian #96 Duane Kale was the most successful Paralympian at Atlanta 1996 winning a total of 6 medals in Para swimming. He is to date the most decorated Paralympian for gold medals won at 1 summer Paralympic Games
  • 44 personal bests were achieved by New Zealand Paralympians competing
  • 3253 Paralympians from 103 countries competed in 19 Para sports in Atlanta 1996
  • Sir Paul Holmes, former Paralympics New Zealand Patron famously hosted ‘Triumph of Human Spirit’: a documentary about the New Zealand Paralympic Team at Atlanta 1996. It was a ground breaking success as it screened in a primetime slot on TV One

* Wheelchair rugby was a demonstration event at the Atlanta 1996 Paralympic Games. Medals were awarded but are not included in the official medal tally.

Atlanta 1996 - Medal Tally

Gold09
Silver06
Bronze03
Total18*

Atlanta 1996 - Details

YearMedalSportNameEvent
1996GoldPara athleticsPeter MartinMen's Shot Put F52
1996GoldPara athleticsCristeen SmithWomen's 200m T51
1996GoldPara swimmingDuane KaleMen's 100m Freestyle S6
1996GoldPara swimmingDuane KaleMen's 200m Freestyle S6
1996GoldPara swimmingDuane KaleMen's 200m Individual Medley SM6
1996GoldPara swimmingDuane KaleMen's 50m Butterfly S6
1996GoldPara swimmingJennifer NewsteadWomen's 100m Backstroke S6
1996GoldPara swimmingJennifer NewsteadWomen's 100m Breaststroke SB4
1996GoldPara swimmingJennifer NewsteadWomen's 200m Freestyle S6
1996SilverPara athleticsDavid MacCalmanMen's Javelin F51
1996SilverPara athleticsPeter MartinMen's Javelin F52
1996SilverPara athleticsCristeen SmithWomen's 800m T51
1996SilverPara swimmingAaron BidoisMen's 100m Breaststroke SB6
1996SilverPara swimmingDuane KaleMen's 50m Freestyle S6
1996SilverPara swimmingJennifer NewsteadWomen's 200m Individual Medley SM5
1996BronzePara athleticsJeferey MuraltMen's 400m T53
1996BronzePara swimmingDuane KaleMen's 100m Backstroke S6
1996BronzePara swimmingJennifer NewsteadWomen's 100m Freestyle S6
1996Bronze*Wheelchair rugbyNew ZealandMixed

New Zealand Team

Para athletics
Dave MacCalman – Paralympian #80
Cristeen Smith – Paralympian #82
John Dowall – Paralympian #93
Carey Lineham – Paralympian #98
Ben Lucas – Paralympian #99
Peter Martin – Paralympian #100
Jeff Muralt – Paralympian #104

Boccia
Henk Dijkstra – Paralympian #92
Tom Simeon – Paralympian #108

Para equestrian
Jayne Craike – Paralympian #90

Para lawn bowls
Peter Horne – Paralympian #61
Mervyn Matthews – Paralympian #101

Para sailing
Andrew May – Paralympian #102
Cameron Scott – Paralympian #106
Derek Stewart – Paralympian #109
Chris Wornall – Paralympian #113

Shooting Para sport
Colin Willis – Paralympian #54

Para swimming
Aaron Bidois – Paralympian #75
Belinda Honey – Paralympian #79
Jenny Newstead – Paralympian #81
Hayden Brown – Paralympian #87
Reweti Cameron – Paralympian #88
Jason Griffiths – Paralympian #94
Duane Kale – Paralympian #96

Wheelchair rugby
Robert Dickie – Paralympian #91
Stephen Guthrie – Paralympian #95
Paul Leefe – Paralympian #97
Gary McMurray – Paralympian #103
Curtis Palmer – Paralympian #105
Grant Sharman – Paralympian #107
Sholto Taylor – Paralympian #111
Geremy Tinker – Paralympian #112

Wheelchair tennis
Jacque Courtier – Paralympian #89
Marilyn Stratford – Paralympian #110

How are the medal standings ranked?

* By IPC convention, the medal standings are ordered by the number of gold medals which the Para athletes from a nation have won. The number of silver medals is taken into consideration next and then the number of bronze medals. If NPCs are still tied, equal ranking is given and they are listed alphabetically by IPC country code. The same convention is used by the IOC.

See also the medal standings on the IPC website.

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