Paraplegic archer’s day of triumph

Press, 16 April 1980, Page 1

Paraplegic archer’s day of triumph

' A motor-cycle accident In 1969 put Neroli Fairhall, then aged 24, into a wheelchair for the rest of her life. But that cruel blow to a healthy young woman led her to a sport in which she could contest as an equal, and'last evening Miss Fairhall was named as an archer in the New Zealand team for the Olympic Games. ’ \ - She will be, the first paraplegic to compete with and' against able-bodied sportsmen and women at the world’s highest level, but that historic feat was almost shrugged aside by the Spckbum archer last evening. “I guess it’s an achievement But doing archery it doesn’t really matter If- you are standing up or sitting down,” she said. “The number of sports wevcan do is limited — archery is one of them, but there are drawbacks. For example, in the double FETA round, we finish it

off in two days in- New Zealand. “But at Moscow, it will be spread over four days, and while that is only 72 arrows a day, it is a long time to stay on top and hard to relax. Others can lie down, or go for a walk.” , In her five years in

archery, Miss Fairhall has “put a lot of work into it: a lot of swimming for fitness, three times a week usually. • “But my shooting is restricted so much. I rely on others a lot, from stringing my bow to collecting arrows, and all I can do is go out when I have someone to go with.” One special helper was Robin Bliss, and Miss Fairhall was as delighted with his selection as coach as with her own. Even before competing at Moscow she has an eye on future international competition.: She is a fledgling competitor, after all—fourth in last year’s Australian championships, third this year, twenty-second in the 1979 United States championships are her background performances —biit is looking towards the 1981 world championships. ;; “I haven’t been to the worlds, so that is something else to aim for,” she said. Games team, Back Page.