Waihī Beach Paralympian Dave MacCalman acknowledged for contribution to disability sports

Dave MacCalman, pictured here with Stacey Roche, was recognised with an award at a festival promoting disability sports. Photo / Jason Egnew

Waihī Beach’s Dave MacCalman has received the Parafed Bay of Plenty service to disability sport award at the Healthvision Festival of Disability Sport.

The Healthvision Festival of Disability Sport was a two-day event last month for physically disabled athletes from throughout New Zealand to play sport or to have a go.

It included an awards event at Mercury Baypark Tauranga.

A Parafed BOP spokesperson says MacCalman has amazing sporting achievements, but is also an ”incredible advocate” for ensuring the Bay of Plenty is accessible for all to enjoy recreational activities.

After a swimming accident in 1980, MacCalman decided his sporting life would not come to an end and continued to train and compete - and went on to represent New Zealand at three Paralympic Games.

He is a champion athlete and has coached in disability and mainstream sports, including wheelchair rugby and wheelchair basketball.

Dave MacCalman with his award. Photo / Jason Egnew

He recently finished a decade of working for the Halberg Foundation. He was behind the introduction of the single-wheeled trail rider for people to climb Mauao, and the rolling out of accessible beach mats and beach chairs in Waihī Beach.

MacCalman continues to work towards making local beaches accessible for all.

MacCalman recently released his biography, Here’s to Life and all that Jazz, to sum up his life of sport, adventure and achievement. The book title is a nod to American jazz singer Shirley Horn’s ballad Here’s to Life.

Parafed Bay of Plenty is a not-for-profit organisation that enables sport, recreation and play opportunities for physically disabled people.

Awards winners:

• Jaxon Wooley - aspiring youth award - Tauranga
• Jacinta Richardson -emerging talent - Christchurch
• Richard Chamberlain - volunteer/coach of the year - Tauranga
• Troy Robertson - sportsman of the year and the supreme award - Whangārei
• Dani Egle-Bast - sportswoman of the year - Auckland