Whanganui’s athletes shone at the 2025 Special Olympics National Summer Games.
Special Olympics Wanganui took 12 athletes to the Summer Games in Christchurch on December 10-14.
Team members participated in powerlifting, swimming, basketball and golf, claiming 15 medals across all sports.
The National Summer Games is Special Olympics New Zealand’slargest national event and follows a four-year cycle.
More than 1200 athletes with intellectual disabilities from 42 clubs nationwide competed in 10 sports at six venues across Christchurch in the largest sports event in the city for more than a decade.
Special Olympics Wanganui chairwoman Jan Bublitz said the athletes loved the opportunity to compete at the games.
“They have had a blast. We have had some lovely compliments about their attitude with sports so it’s been a wonderful experience - absolutely beautiful,” Bublitz said.
“I thought the organisation was absolutely amazing, the facilities were fantastic, everything that was put into place worked. I can’t speak highly enough.
Whanganui’s powerlifting team of Freddie Wroe, Kayla Shackleton and Emaraina Paewai won 11 medals.
In his category, Wroe won gold overall and in the men’s squat. He claimed silver in the bench press and deadlift categories.
Paewai received silver medals in the squat, bench press and deadlift events, earning her silver overall.
Shackleton received a gold medal for deadlift and a bronze medal in the bench press, earning a gold overall.
Whanganui powerlifters (from left) Emaraina Paewai, Freddie Wroe and Kayla Shackleton won a total of 11 medals between them at the 2025 Special Olympics National Summer Games.
Paewai said she had been training hard in preparation for the event.
“I’ve been powerlifting for two years. I’ve been doing my heavy weights … my mum Airini’s supporting too,” she said.
Paewai was nervous about the competition but once she started to participate it gave her confidence.
Shackleton got into powerlifting, having already been involved in Special Olympics basketball events. She was also a Sport Whanganui volunteer.
“It’s probably one of the best experiences I’ve had. I’ve made new friends and caught up with old ones,” Shackleton said.
Whanganui’s only swimming participant, Jmraz Marsh, took home a silver and two bronze medals in the 50m freestyle, 25m breaststroke and 25m freestyle, respectively.
He also managed new personal bests in each event.
The Whanganui Rebels basketball team placed second in the E Grade.
Max Walsh came fourth in division 1 golf for 18 holes with a total of 165 over two rounds.
This was Walsh’s third national Summer Games and his second representing Whanganui.
Whanganui Special Olympics golfer Max Walsh (left) attended his third Special Olympics National Summer Games this year, and his second representing Whanganui.
It was one of the first such organisations in the country, encouraged by Special Olympics New Zealand founders Grant and Wendy Quinn.
Athletes who successfully compete at the National Special Olympics are eligible to compete at the 2027 World Special Olympics in Chile if they have the funding and can demonstrate their ability to cope with being away from home for the three-week international competition.
Special Olympics chief executive Fran Scholey said the 2025 National Summer Games had taken the event to new standards, competing in Christchurch’s brand new venues.
“The whole city got into it and, from what I can see in the media, the whole country got into it,” Scholey said.
“I am so proud of the team delivering the games, the general public and media for giving our athletes the recognition they deserve.”
Fin Ocheduszko Brown is a multimedia journalist based in Whanganui.
