Impairment Information |
Classification |
T45, F45 |
Further Personal Information |
Residence |
Wellington, NZL |
Languages |
English |
Sport Specific Information |
When and where did you begin this sport? |
He began the sport at high school in New Zealand. |
Why this sport? |
“I got into throwing a discus when I was in year nine [at school]. I hated it at first, but I kept at it because I was inspired by a Liam Malone speech at school. [After] I won the regionals I thought I might as well have a crack at the North Island [championships]. I won that too and started to like it.” |
General Interest |
Nicknames |
Ben (Facebook profile, 19 Apr 2019) |
Awards and honours |
In 2017 he was named Athlete with a Disability of the Year at St. Patrick's College in Wellington, New Zealand. (collegesportmedia.co.nz, 07 Nov 2017; collegesport.org.nz, 24 May 2018) |
Impairment |
He has Beals syndrome, which causes abnormal bone and aortic enlargement problems. "I can't extend my arm like a normal person and struggle with basic flexion in my legs. I basically walk on my toes, which gets painful after a while but I have grown used to it." (collegesportmedia.co.nz, 07 Nov 2017) |
