NZ name seven for Paralympics

A seven-strong New Zealand team were today named for the Paralympic world championships in the Netherlands next month.

The team include 2004 Athens Paralympics gold medallists Peter Martin, Matt Slade and Tim Prendergast.

Prendergast is expected to perform strongly on the track in the 800m, 1500m and 5000m, having run a personal best 1500m in Belgium this month.

He is awaiting confirmation that his time of three minutes 51.82 seconds is a new national 1500m record.

Other team members are Terry Faleava'ai, Gavin Foulsham, Jessica Hamill and Kate Horan.

Paralympics New Zealand chief executive Craig Hobbs has high expectations of the team.

"It is a very strong team and our target is five medals, and I believe we can get more than that," Hobbs said.

More than 1500 competitors will converge on Assen for the Paralympics on September 3-9.

- NZPA