Paralympics: High hopes for big medal haul

By TERRY MADDAFORD

With 16-year-old swimmer Gillian Pollock as the youngest and 57-year-olds Garth Reynolds (sailing) and archery hope Neroli Fairhall the oldest - and with another 39 athletes in between - the New Zealand Paralympic team flew to Sydney yesterday.

There was an obvious air of confidence that the blend of youth and experience will reward New Zealand, who first had representation at the Paralympics in 1968, with their most successful Games.

Just getting the team away was a major undertaking, with some competitors needing three wheelchairs to cover their sporting and off-field requirements.

There was a mountain of equipment to be loaded before the mid-morning flight.

The 42 athletes, up from the 36 who brought home 18 medals, including nine gold, from Atlanta in 1996, are supported by a staff of 34, including Duane Kale, who won gold in Atlanta but is in Sydney as manager of the swim team.

Assistant team manager Kathy Condon, involved as part of the support staff at her third Paralympics, said there was a real buzz among team members who had been aiming towards the Sydney Games for four years.

"They are ready to perform, that's for sure," said Condon.

The Paralympics start on Wednesday and continue for 11 days.

New Zealand will be represented in 11 sports, including track and field, swimming, sailing, cycling, shooting, wheelchair rugby and, for the first time, bocchia - a game akin to petanque and played by cerebral palsy competitors.

A former professional cyclist, 45-year-old Paul Jesson, who holds the world record for the 4000m individual pursuit and is also the world time trial champion, will be a gold medal chance in amputee cycling on the track and road.

He will be joined in New Zealand's first foray at this level by Mark Inglis, who lost his legs after being trapped on Mt Cook some years ago.

Peter Martin will defend his shot put title.

He and javelin thrower Dave MacCalman are highly rated chances in athletics, while Pollock, already a world record-holder in the 200m backstroke and 200m individual swimming medley, also rates highly.

Fairhall, who is returning to Australia where she won a gold medal in archery at the 1982 Brisbane Commonwealth Games, rates a chance again in what she says will be her last competitive outing.

Wheelchair rugby, in which transtasman rivalry will be at its keenest, promises a spectacular introduction with teams of 11 - four players on court at any one time - doing battle.

The team is headed by chef de mission Dave Currie, who has taken time out from his role as head of the Halberg Trust to go to Sydney.

With generous support from the New Zealand Sports Foundation, Air New Zealand and Telcom, the team left with high hopes and the expectation of another healthy medal haul.

Click here for Herald Online Olympic/Paralympic News