N.Z. Paraplegic Team Wins 26 Medals

Press, Volume CX, Issue 32359, 27 July 1970, Page 14

N.Z. Paraplegic Team Wins 26 Medals

(N.Z.PA. Stag Correspondent!

LONDON.

The New Zealand paraplegic (wheelchair) athletics team ended on Saturday its competition at the International Games for the Disabled at Stoke Mandeville, near London, delighted with its performance.

In six days of competition against 22 other nations, the 14-member New Zealand team won nine gold medals, eight, silver medals, and nine bronze.

“This is the furthest a New Zealand paraplegic team has ever travelled,” said the team manager, Mr G. R. Thorn, on Saturday. “We came to Stoke Mandeville to warm up for the Commonwealth Paraplegic Games next week—and we are going away with all these medals. It is the best warm-up we could have hoped for.” On the last day, W. Lean (Dunedin) won a gold medal for the heavy-weight weightlifting with a total of 3581 b, and J. Savage (Kawerau) won the singles bowls final. In pouring rain, the bowls was declared a win for Savage after he had opened up a big early lead. G Marrett (Dunedin) won a Silver medal in archery for the short master round, and R. Fattorini (Christchurch) took the bronze medal for the 100 metres wheelchair dash.

Finally, late on Saturday night, the games jury ruled that a throw which provisionally won Lean a silver medal in the shot put earlier in the week was a fair throw.

The team will now travel to Edinburgh where it will live at a Royal Air Force base at Edinburgh Airport during the Commonwealth Paraplegic Games, which were opened yes-

terday by the Prime Minister (Mr Heath).