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The next Special Olympics New Zealand may be three years away, but that’s not stopping Warkworth swimmer Grace Roberts from setting her sights on gold.
Grace was one of 24 athletes in the Hibiscus Coast and Rodney Special Olympics team last December, which comprised ten-pin bowlers, swimmers and an equestrian athlete.
The swimming team collectively brought home 11 medals across eight events.
Grace, who trains with the Kowhai Swimming Club, won two silver medals in the 25-metre and 50-metre backstroke events, along with a bronze medal as a key member of the 4x25m freestyle relay team.
Her goals for the 2029 Games are ambitious – she wants to qualify for the 100m freestyle and hopes to claim a medal in every event she enters, as well as at least one gold.
Grace lives with Prader-Willi syndrome, a condition that can result in low muscle tone. Because of this, regular exercise is essential.
Swimming has played a key role in her development and she has been in the pool since birth, providing full-body conditioning. This is complemented by pilates, which supports her body while helping to build strength and muscle tone, giving her the best possible foundation
for competition.
Grace and her parents extended a heartfelt thanks to Carissa Vaudrey, at Studio Pilates Warkworth, Carol Christy of Ray White, Kowhai Swimming Club and the wider Warkworth community.
“Over the past year, their generosity and fundraising efforts helped send Grace and her fellow Hibiscus Coast Rodney Special Olympics team members to the national games,” they said.
Special Olympics Hibiscus Coast Rodney is a local club providing year-round sports training and competition for individuals with intellectual disabilities.
