Paralympic gold medalist Liam Malone paid tribute to his mother as he graduated from Victoria University today.
The 23-year-old graduated with a Bachelor of Commerce in Marketing and International Business, a degree he studied towards while training for and competing at the 2016 Paralympic Games in Rio de Janeiro.
In his graduate address he stressed the importance of family support and urged his classmates to hug their parents.
"I lost my mum to cancer at 18, and she cannot be here today.
![Liam Malone strikes gold in the 200m T44 at the 2016 Paralympic Games in Rio, his 21.06sec time also shattering the Paralympics record previously held by Oscar Pistorius. Photo / Photosport](https://www.nzherald.co.nz/resizer/v2/INEWZGJD7W4KCEBFOL7HVZEHUI.jpg?auth=7b9dd02c36baa04f1ab430cd63ba23b0dd99a57b460e34fd0b461d6574df5e31&width=16&height=12&quality=70&smart=true)