New Zealand Para Swim Team Announces Pan Pacific Championships Roster

Photo Courtesy: Getty Images

New Zealand’s most decorated paralympian, Sophie Pascoe, heads a team of nine para swimmers to compete at the 2018 Pan Pacific Para Swimming Championships in Australia from August 9-13.

Also in the team is three-time paralympic gold medallist Cameron Leslie, and Rio paralympians Jesse Reynolds, Tupou Neiufi and Hamish McLean.

Christopher Arbuthnott and Celyn Edwards will return to Australia following a plethora of personal best times at the Commonwealth Games earlier this year. Bryall McPherson will make her return to international competition, while Amanda Lowry will make her international debut after only six months in the para swimming programme.

Paralympics New Zealand High Performance Director Malcolm Hunn is thrilled with the quality of the team.

“The last championships were held in 2014 in California where the New Zealand Para Swimming Team won 13 medals. This team will once again be aiming for multiple podium finishes as we build towards the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games.”

Pascoe, currently based in the UK with some of the best in the sport in preparation for Tokyo 2020, will bid farewell to training partner Ollie Hynd, one of Britain’s most successful Paralympians and his celebrated coach Glenn Smith. She will be reunited with her long-time coach Roly Crichton next month as they put the training to the test in Cairns.

Leslie has set himself a challenge of competing in pinnacle events for wheelchair rugby as well as swimming, and will compete in the IWRF Wheelchair Rugby Championships in Sydney, before heading to Cairns to focus on his favoured event, the men’s 150m IM.

Paralympians Reynolds and Neiufi, and para swimmers Arbuthnott and Edwards will return to Australia following their performances in the recent Commonwealth Games. Reynolds and Edwards were just outside of the medals at these games, collectively placing fourth three times by the narrowest of margins.

Paralympian Hamish McLean is looking to improve on his performances in Rio as he continues to build his international experience, whereas McPherson won a national title at last week’s New Zealand Open Championships, securing her selection to the team.

International debutant Lowry only been part of the New Zealand para swimming programme for six months. The championships will be just her third meet, and will be an incredible development opportunity as she builds her experience in high performance environments. Rio gold medallist and world record holder Mary Fisher has made herself unavailable for selection.

New Zealand Para Swim Team:

Name	Classification	Impairment/Disability	Club	Resides
Sophie Pascoe	S10/SB9/SM10	Limb deficiency (Amputee – left below knee)	QE11	Christchurch
Celyn Edwards	S8/SB8/SM8	Limb deficiency (Amputee – left upper arm)	Selwyn	Christchurch
Jesse Reynolds	S9/SB8/SM9	Limb deficiency (Proximal Focal Femoral Deficiency PFFD)	Fairfield	Auckland
Christopher Arbuthnott	S9/SB9/SM9	Limb deficiency (Congenital – right below elbow)	Ice Breakers	Auckland
Tupou Neiufi	S9/SB8/SM9	Hypertonia/Left side hemiplegia	Howick Pakuranga	Auckland
Bryall McPherson	S8/SB8/SM8	Limb deficiency (Amputee – right through shoulder)	North Shore	Auckland
Cameron Leslie	S5/SB3/SM4	Limb deficiency (Congenital all 4 limbs)	Whangarei	Whangarei
Hamish McLean	S6/SB6/SM6	Short stature (Achondroplasia)	Wanaka	Christchurch
Amanda Lowry	S3/SB2/SM3	Loss muscle power (Tetraplegia)	Otumoetai	Tauranga

The above press release was posted by Swimming World in conjunction with Paralympics New Zealand. For press releases and advertising inquiries please contact Advertising@SwimmingWorld.com.

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