A new light on Paralympians

By Megan Dunn There is no doubt that Sophie Pascoe is New Zealand’s most successful Paralympian of all time however, it’s time to look at her through a new lens - as in fact, is does she deserve the title of being the greatest Kiwi athlete ever?

As of 2021 Pascoe’s medal count stands at an astounding 19: 11 gold, seven silver and one bronze medal. No other Kiwi athlete comes even close to this feat. So why is Pascoe so tightly categorized with her Paralympian status? Her achievements surpass the restriction of being bound to someone who is disabled; she is an athlete - an amazing one at that - the type of athlete New Zealand has never seen before. Paralympians assume the role of second-best athletes. The question needs to be posed: how would we treat a ‘typical’ athlete if they had won 19 Olympic medals? One’s premonition entails extensive media coverage that would be frankly oversaturated. They would be the face of any sporting related advertisement and marketed overseas as the ultimate Kiwi heroine. Pascoe is certainly overlooked compared to her able-bodied counterparts, she doesn’t get the credit nor visibility she should considering her insane athletic capabilities and unmatched achievements. Could this be due to an unconscious bias people maintain surrounding the credibility of the Paralympics and disabled people in general? Today, the conversations surrounding prejudices seem more open and honest than ever before, but what is so intriguing is that even with this heightened level of consciousness and, on the surface, ‘acceptance of all’ this does not fully translate. The spread of bias continues. Partially this is caused by subliminal messages imbedded into us during early developmental years. Depiction of minorities in the media (or lack thereof) reinforce stereotypical ideas fortifying the mentality that those in minority groups are ‘different’ or ‘less than’. The 2013 New Zealand Disability Survey estimated that a total of 1.1 million (24 percent) New Zealanders were disabled. Paralympics New Zealand (PNZ) chief executive, Fiona Allan acknowledges that, “There is more work to do to continue to raise the profile of Para sport and ensure that Paralympians are best supported and many more Paralympians become household names. “Everyone has a role to play – to include organisations such as ourselves, National Sports Organisations, Government, media and broadcasters, sponsors and of course each of us as individuals.” In saying this, momentum is picking up year by year resulting in a positive chain reaction. “During the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games, many New Zealanders were inspired by Paralympians from within NZ and also from across the world,” Fiona says. “The continued growth of Paralympic sport is huge and the increased interest from New Zealanders to watch the Paralympics is fantastic.” The Paralympics represents empowerment for all involved. This feeling of empowerment needs to translate to wider society to enact a reposition of attitudes around the event and athletes who work so hard to push the boundaries. Let’s strive to celebrate Paralympians the way they truly deserve. CT

The continued growth of Paralympic sport is huge and the increased interest from New Zealanders to watch the Paralympics is fantastic. ”

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