Paralympian comes out of retirement for trans-Tasman charity effort

Nathan Smith Nathan Smith is a medal contender in his favoured event, the pursuit, which takes place on Friday night. Photo / Getty Images

A high profile Paralympian is coming out of retirement for a trans-Tasman charity effort to get physically-disabled kids into sport.

Cyclist Nathan Smith - older brother of All Black Conrad Smith and a former Taranaki rugby player - will be part of a New Zealand team stacked with gold medallists and world champions cycle, row, sail and run 1300km around New Zealand to raise money for the Halberg Disability Sports Foundation.

Smith retired from sport after a top 10 finish at last year's London Paralympics.

Former All Black Marc Ellis will lead 10 sports stars including world cycling champion Alison Shanks and gold medal rower Nathan Cohen against an Australian team including Laurie Daley and Wendell Sailor.

Smith, who lost his leg after stepping out in front of a car on his way home from a rugby match in 2004, said he was honoured to be part of the event.

"I was a bit of a drunken idiot who lost my leg but got into disabled sport and had an incredible level of support from SPARC to compete internationally,'' he said.

"I feel being part of this I can give something back to create a greater public awareness for disabled sport, especially for young disabled kids who have a difficult enough time getting into any sport.''

He will be joined by fellow paralympians rower Danny McBride and sailor Rick Dodson.

Halberg Foundation spokeswoman Bonnie Smail said the ANZA Challenge would begin Wellington on October 15 and move through Nelson, Christchurch, Dunedin, Hamilton before finishing with two simultaneous public runs in Auckland and Sydney on October 20.

There would be two distances - a 5km children's race and 10km adults' race - both run at the Auckland Domain.

She said everyone who raced would be time chipped and the country with the fastest collective time would win.

The 5km race is sponsored by the NZ Herald.

Intermediate and secondary school students can register to take part at:
www.anzachallenge.com