Whangarei runner’s enduring spirit wins out

December 4, 2014

Whangarei runner’s enduring spirit wins out

Craig Jessop (47) has endured extreme physical adversity to run the New York Marathon not once, but four times.

Last night Craig’s perseverance was recognised with the Whangarei man winning the Spirit of Attitude Award at the national Attitude Awards on World Disability Day.

The national awards celebrate the excellence and achievements of Kiwis living with a disability. This year’s winners (subs note: full list of winners below) were announced at a black tie gala held at Auckland’s Viaduct Event Centre on December 3 and hosted by TV news presenter Simon Dallow.

The Awards have grown out of the Attitude TV series, which screens on TV ONE on Sunday mornings at 8:30pm. The overall Attitude ACC Supreme Award was taken out by champion Paralympic swimmer Mary Fisher (21).

Attitude Awards Trustee Dan Buckingham, a member of the elite national wheelchair rugby team the Wheel Blacks, says the Awards are about raising expectations around what is achievable for people living with disabilities.

“Last night we celebrated winners across a range of categories, but really the aim of the Awards is to change peoples’ perceptions about this broad and diverse sector of society. So in that sense, all 24 finalists are winners and fantastic role models,” he said.

Twenty years ago Craig, who lives with Type 1 diabetes and is completely blind, set his mind on running a marathon. Doctors said he was too ambitious, but Craig says the doubters only made him more determined.

When Craig began training for the 1994 New York Marathon he could only walk 50 metres. Managing the full distance was a hard slog, made even tougher when Craig was admitted to intensive care with kidney failure. In order to keep training, Craig chose to go on a demanding manual form of dialysis that allowed him to be mobile.

Regardless of these challenges, Craig completed the 1994 New York Marathon in seven hours and 34 minutes. Crossing that finish line, he says, was one of his proudest moments. He went on to complete three more New York Marathons, including in 1999 following a kidney and pancreas transplant.

Alongside his gruelling training regime, Craig and his training partners Peter Loft, Myles Flynn and Merv Foote established the New Zealand branch of the Achilles Track Club – an organisation which has supported over 300 athletes with disabilities from 65 countries to achieve their goals in running.

Craig has dedicated himself to helping others with disabilities. Since Achilles NZ was founded, 175 New Zealanders with disabilities have walked, run, wheeled or hopped the New York Marathon just like Craig.

Other Attitude Award winners are Matthew Weir (Courage In Sport), Lyn Cotton (Making A Difference), Corey Peters (Sport Performer of the Year), Mary Fisher (Youth and ACC Supreme Award), Paul Barrett (Artistic Achievement), Selwyn Cook, SSC Service Stations (ACC Employer Award) and Muskan Devta (Junior). John Baldwin Munro was inducted in the Attitude Hall of Fame and Jess Quinn took home the People’s Choice Award.

The Spirit of Attitude category is sponsored by Drake Medox. Other sponsors supporting the Awards include: Invacare, Barfoot & Thompson, IHC Foundation, Westpac, Ministry of Health, Air New Zealand, Wayne Francis Charitable Trust and The Lion Foundation.

Chief Executive of ACC Scott Pickering says ACC is proud to be principal sponsor of the Awards for the seventh year running, including sponsorship of the Attitude ACC Employer Award and the Attitude ACC Supreme Award.

“Congratulations to all the 2014 Attitude Awards winners. They are high achievers and their determination and spirit is inspirational.”

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Full list of winners and locations:

Attitude ACC Supreme Award and Attitude Youth Award
Mary Fisher - Wellington

Attitude Courage In Sport Award
Matthew Weir - Auckland

Attitude Sport Performer of the Year Award
Corey Peters - New Plymouth

Spirit of Attitude Award
Craig Jessop - Whangarei

Attitude Making A Difference Award
Lyn Cotton - Christchurch

Attitude Artistic Achievement Award
Paul Barrett - Auckland

Attitude ACC Employer Award
Selwyn Cook, SSC Service Stations (licensed retailer for Z Energy, Waikato) - Hamilton

Attitude Junior Award
Muskan Devta - Auckland

Attitude Hall of Fame Award
JB Munro - Mosgiel

Attitude People’s Choice Award
Jess Quinn – Auckland

ENDS

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