A space to be free with a strong sense of community all around, will be found this weekend at the Healthvision Festival of Disability Sport.
This national event held from Saturday, April 27, to Sunday, April 28, will see athletes competing across sport codes, with free give-it-a-go sessions for attendees to enjoy with their whānau.
The festival will also play host to the national tournament fir Wheelchair Rugby and Wheelchair Basketball.
Among then will be 52 year-old Amanda Lowry, who broke her neck 11 years ago, causing her to become tetraplegic with all four limbs affected. Yet she has made sure this drastic physical change hasn’t held her back.
A sporty and active person her whole life, she quickly got into wheelchair rugby.
“I was on the court as soon as I got home. So four months after my accident I started playing,” says Amanda who is also festival ambassador for the event.
“For me, sport is transformational. It’s being involved in a space where you are so free and so fast in that space, where everything about being in a wheelchair is hard in the world.
“Disability sport is all about inclusion.”
Last year’s event saw 150 athletes competing says Amanda and she is looking forward to the awards night on Saturday.
“We get to really celebrate those athletes who are achieving at that high level. Some of them are heading off to the Paralympics and some are getting to that point, and it's just that recognition.”
Amanda welcomes the community to check out the festival and see what’s out there in the disability sport world. “People might have a family member who's never even thought it was possible for them to do anything, because they think they're too impaired, but you are not. We will find something that you can do and that you love!”
The Healthvision Festival of Disability Sport will be held at Mercury Baypark Arena, Club Mount Maunganui, Sulphur Point and Tauranga Marina on Saturday, April 27, and Sunday, April 28.
For more information and event details visit: https://parafedbop.co.nz/healthvision-festival-of-disability-sport