Trio Elected To PNZ Athletes’ Council

Paralympics New Zealand (PNZ) is pleased to announce the re-election of Paralympian #195 Anna Grimaldi and election of Paralympian #158 Adam Hall and Paralympian #211 Danielle Aitchison to the PNZ Athletes’ Council.

The PNZ Athletes’ Council was established in 2021 to enable representation of New Zealand Paralympians and Para athletes and enable greater athlete participation and voice within the Paralympic Movement within New Zealand and internationally.

Anna, Danielle and Adam will join Paralympian #189 Carl Murphy and Paralympian #225 Anna Taylor as members on the PNZ Athletes’ Council.

Eight candidates put forward their names for election and we thank everyone for their interest in seeking election to the PNZ Athletes’ Council.

Para athlete Anna Grimaldi, a three-time Paralympic gold medallist, said: “I’m super happy to be able to continue my work with the PNZ Athletes’ Council for this next term. It’s been a privilege to play my part in amplifying the athletes’ voice and I can’t wait to maintain the momentum leading into the Milano Cortina 2026 Paralympic Winter Games and LA 2028 Paralympic Games. I love the athletes we have here in New Zealand, and I want to make sure they are well represented.”

Danielle Aitchison, a winner of four Para athletics medals at the Paralympic Games, said: “I am deeply honoured to be elected to the PNZ Athletes’ Council. This role holds significant meaning for me, as it provides an opportunity to be a voice within the Paralympic Movement – not only for all Para athletes but also to ensure that challenges I have faced are not repeated. Sport has been a vital part in my life, and I am committed to fostering a safe and enjoyable environment for every Para athlete who chooses to participate.”

Adam Hall, a five-time Paralympic Para alpine skiing medallist, said: “I am incredibly honoured to have been successfully elected to the PNZ Athletes’ Council. I look forward to collaborating with the great cohort on the Council and using my voice to help encourage and elevate our Paralympians and Para athletes and ensure our sport continues to thrive.”

Outgoing Chair Paralympian #213 Sarah Ellington adds of her three years in the role. “I am sad to be stepping down as Chair from the PNZ Athletes’ Council but it has been a great three years in the role. I am looking forward to seeing what the new Council will achieve, and I wish everyone all the best in making the most of this amazing opportunity.”

Other outgoing council members include Paralympian #148 Michael Johnson and Paralympian #202 Jacob Phillips.

Greg Warnecke said: “We are excited to welcome Anna back to the PNZ Athletes’ Council following her re-election and both Danielle and Adam to the Council for the first time. The trio will provide fantastic insights from their rich experiences, which will help guide and inform our work as an organisation in the future. From all at PNZ we would also like to extent our thanks for the valuable contribution played by outgoing Council members; Sarah, Michael and Jacob.”

The new Chair and Vice Chair will be elected next year.

For further information, go toparalympics.org.nz/about/pnz-athletes-council/

Notes:

About the New Zealand Paralympic Team

NZ Paralympic Team strives to challenge perceptions towards disability, showcasing high performance athletes who prove anything is possible.

Since Tel Aviv 1968 Paralympic Games, 237 New Zealand Paralympians have been part of New Zealand Paralympic Teams competing at 27 Paralympic Games (15 summer and 12 winter) winning a staggering 245 medals (210 in summer and 35 in winter).

About Paralympics New Zealand (PNZ)

Paralympics New Zealand is the National Paralympic Committee (NPC) for New Zealand. We are a charity and our overall vision is ‘Transforming lives through Para sport’. As a member of the International Paralympic Committee (IPC), we are part of a worldwide social change movement, which uses the power of sport to positively influence community perceptions of disabled people and to promote a more diverse and inclusive society.

To do this, we support and celebrate the achievements of Para athletes at international and national competitions all year round. Every two years, we lead New Zealand teams to the Paralympic Games. We also work in the local community to advocate for sport to become more accessible for disabled people and to support the creation of more systems and programmes to enable participation in Para sport.

Our funding comes from a mix of public donations, fundraisers, philanthropic partners, commercial partners, plus government and community grants, which together make our Para sport, community and advocacy programmes possible.

To find out more about us, please visit about us

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