Thank you for your
interest and recognition of New Zealanders living with cerebral
palsy,” said Miriam.
The day she bought her bike she entered the Hamilton Mountain
Bike Club Championships and was placed third. Several weeks
later she was the only athlete with a disability competing
at the XTERRA NZ off-road triathlon consisting of a 1km swim,
26km mountain bike and 11km forest run. At this event she
was placed 11th in her age group, and turned in the fastest
run split for the 18-24 year old women on the day.
A nationwide series of races followed which led to her selection
in the first Para triathlon team to represent New Zealand
at the ITU World Triathlon Championships on Australia's Gold
Coast. The standard distance (1.5km swim, 40km bike, 10km
run) event was held in September, and she won gold in the
women's event. She also competed against able-bodied athletes
at the Aquathlon World Championships (2.5km run, 1km swim,
2.5km run) and was placed 24th in her age group, beating more
than 40 other women.
She was the first female athlete with a disability to win
the Waikato Sportswoman of the Year. An impressive and well
deserved achievement indeed, especially as she was pitted
against Silver Ferns captain Casey Williams, Black Sticks
member Clarissa Eshuis, and World Cup skier Sarah Jarvis.
The Society’s grants committee may be able to help
you. The only essential criterion is that you must be resident
in New Zealand with New Zealand citizenship or permanent residency
and be a current member of the Cerebral Palsy Society. Click
on Grants Buttton on the left side of this page for more information
Ross Flood rflood@cpsociety.org.nz
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