Amy Ellis at the Halberg Games. Photo / Halberg Games.
Amy Ellis at the Halberg Games. Photo / Halberg Games.
Blind teenager Amy Ellis this weekend sets off on a run she hopes will take her all the way to Los Angeles for the 2028 Paralympics.
The Taranaki teenager is taking part in her eighth Halberg Games, and the event has given her the opportunity to represent New Zealand.
The annual Halberg Games allows young athletes aged 8-21 with a physical disability or visual impairment to take part in sport in an inclusive environment.
This year celebrates 10 years of the Games, run by the Halberg Foundation, with the three-day event taking place at King’s College in Auckland.
Ellis is a T13 athlete, specialising in 100m, 200m, and 400m racing, and is legally blind, having been born with three conditions.
Nystagmus, a condition characterised by involuntary, rhythmic, and repetitive eye movements, coloboma, where part of the eye structure is missing, giving her larger pupils, and convergent squints, where one eye usually turns inward.
Despite all this, the 18-year-old already holds multiple age-grade New Zealand records in all three disciplines, plus long jump for T13 Para women, and is targeting higher honours.
“My ultimate goal is to go to the 2028 Paralympics,” said Ellis.
“More short term, I would love to participate in the Ocean champs and possibly then the World Para Athletics Championships.”
Recently, in her first competition in Australia, Ellis set a new personal best of 29.30s in the 200m.
Like most kids, Ellis loves sport, and she initially played football for four years with able-bodied kids before it got too challenging.
The Taranaki team at the Halberg Game. Photo / Halberg Games.
Even at high school, there were difficulties with getting picked last for certain things because of her disability, but Ellis says simple changes like using a neon-yellow coloured football can make the world of difference.
But after being introduced to the Halberg Foundation, Ellis has seen the Games grow, and it has given her the chance to try new sports like crossfit, snag golf and swimming.
“They are so inclusive, and I feel like I can truly embrace my disability and be open to the struggles that I have and be happy to ask for help.
“The games means so much to me, and that I can just meet new people as well with the same visual impairments or things like that as well.”
Running has always been in Ellis’ blood.
In her primary school years, she would always run around the streets of Taranaki and take part in cross country and athletics days and even went on to the regionals in those competitions.
But since focusing on sprints last year, Ellis says there was some adjustment, but she loves taking part.
“When I started with my coach, it was about giving them the knowledge of what I can see, what I can’t see, and it’s just a little adaptive stuff like putting a cone every 30 metres so I would know where to go.
“I initially started in lane one, so I would be able to see the difference between the grass and the track because I find it quite hard to see the white lines.”
Rob Waddell, Hamish Kerr and Amy Ellis at the Halberg Awards. Photo / Photosport.
Ellis is also part of the Halberg Youth Council, which enabled her to take part in February’s Halberg Awards.
She was on stage alongside rowing great Rob Waddell to present Olympic gold medalist Hamish Kerr with his Sportsman of the Year award.
“I couldn’t see Hamish coming towards me, and Rob was always whispering in my ear to say how far away he is.
“It was such a spectacular moment to be able to be like a visually impaired person can do this, that it’s possible. It was so awesome to be able to be on live TV, present this award, and just have that moment of it was awesome.”
