Para-Swimmer Tupou Neiufi additional selection to NZ Rio 2016 Paralympic Games Team

Paralympics New Zealand (PNZ) is delighted to announce that 15 year old Tupou Neiufi has been selected to represent New Zealand in Para-Swimming at the Rio 2016 Paralympic Games in September. Tupou is a late selection to the Para-Swimming team announced in May, which includes Paralympic gold medallists Sophie Pascoe, Mary Fisher and Cameron Leslie, plus London 2012 Paralympians Nikita Howarth and Rebecca Dubber and two Paralympic debutants, Hamish McLean and Jesse Reynolds.
 
Tupou who has been a reserve for the team up until now, will take the place of Bryall McPherson who has been withdrawn from the team last week due to illness and injury.
 
Fiona Allan, CEO, Paralympics New Zealand, said: “I am thrilled to confirm Tupou’s selection to the Para-Swimming team to represent New Zealand at the Rio 2016 Paralympic Games. Tupou has consistently demonstrated outstanding results, including meeting the Swimming New Zealand nomination and the Paralympics New Zealand selection criteria after setting a minimum qualifying time for Rio 2016, but we simply did not have a slot available for her until now. Although we are saddened by Bryall’s withdrawal we know that Tupou is a strong addition to the team.”
 
Tupou Neiufi, Para-Swimmer, said: “I am incredibly excited about my selection to compete at the Rio 2016 Paralympic Games. I have continued to train hard in the hope that I would be selected and now I am thrilled that my dream of representing New Zealand is a reality.”
 
Tupou is currently ranked 6^th in the world in the Women’s 100m Backstroke S9. She has continually improved her personal best times most recently at the Auckland Swimming Association Championships in July she swam three personal bests in this one meet.
 
New Zealand has won medals in Para-Swimming at every Summer Paralympic Games since it first began competing in 1968. McLean’s announcement takes the Rio 2016 Para-Swimming team up to eight in total, making it equal to London 2012 as the biggest team to ever represent New Zealand.
 
Between them, the Para-Swimming team holds a staggering nine Paralympic titles, 22 World titles and 10 long course World Records. Together, they are expected to play a major role in New Zealand’s campaign to the Rio 2016 Paralympic Games, which open on 7 September, 2.5 weeks after the Olympics. The New Zealand Team is aiming to win 18 medals, including 12 gold, across up to 7 Para-Sports and hopes to retain its London 2012 title of number one in the world, medals per capita.
 
Overall, Neiufi becomes the 29^th Para-Athlete to be selected to the Rio 2016 Paralympic Team, following the announcement of three Para-Sailors, seven Para-Cyclists, eight Para-Swimmers, three Para-Shooters and eight Para-Athletics athletes over the last five months.
 
The Rio 2016 Paralympic Games will run from 7-18 September 2016. The Games are the world’s largest multi-sport event for disabled athletes; over 4,350 athletes from 178 countries are expected to compete in 22 sports, with 526 medal events taking place. 


 
The full New Zealand Rio 2016 Paralympic Games Team is:
 

PARA-SHOOTING
Para-Athlete	Resides / Hometown	Classification	Impairment (Disability)
Michael Johnson	Auckland/Auckland	SH2C	Loss of muscle power (Tetraplegia)
Jason Eales	Hamilton/Durban	SH2C	Loss of muscle power (Spinal cord injury)
Greg Reid	Wairarapa/Christchurch	SH1	Single limb deficiency
PARA-ATHLETICS
Holly Robinson	Dunedin / Hokitika	F/T46 (field)	Single limb deficiency
Jessica Hamill	Dunedin / Invercargill	F34 (field)	Hypertonia (Cerebral Palsy)
Rory McSweeney	Dunedin / Wellington	F44 (field)	Single limb deficiency
Liam Malone	Auckland / Nelson	T43 (track)	Double limb deficiency
Anna Grimaldi	Dunedin / Dunedin	T47 (track & field)	Single limb deficiency
William Stedman	Christchurch / Christchurch	T36 (track & field)	Ataxia (Cerebral Palsy)
Caitlin Dore	Dunedin / Christchurch	F37 (field)	Hypertonia (Cerebral Palsy)
Jacob Phillips	Dunedin / Hamilton	T35 (track)	Hypertonia (Cerebral Palsy)
PARA-CYCLING
Kate Horan	Wellington / Wellington	C4	Single limb deficiency
Emma Foy	Cambridge / Dargaville	BVI	Visual impairment
Amanda Cameron	Wellington / Wellington	BVI	Visual impairment
Laura Thompson	Auckland / Christchurch	n/a (Sighted pilot)	n/a
Hannah van Kampen	Cambridge / Hawkes Bay	n/a (Sighted pilot)	n/a
Byron Raubenheimer	Auckland / South Africa	C4	Single limb deficiency
Stephen Hills	New Plymouth / New Plymouth	T2	Right side hemiplegic (Paralysis)
PARA-SWIMMING
Sophie Pascoe	Christchurch / Christchurch	S10, SB9, SM10	Single limb deficiency
Mary Fisher	Auckland / Wellington	S11, SB11, SM11	Visual impairment
Cameron Leslie	Auckland / Whangarei	S5, SM4	Quadruple limb deficiency
Nikita Howarth	Cambridge   / Cambridge	S7, SB8, SM7	Double limb deficiency
Rebecca Dubber	Auckland / Auckland	S7, SB6, SM7	Loss of muscle power (Paraplegia)
Jesse Reynolds	Auckland / Hamilton	S9, SB9, SM9	Single limb deficiency
Hamish McLean	Wanaka / Wanaka	S6, SB6, SM6	Short stature (Achondroplasia)
Tupou Neiufi	Auckland / Auckland	S9, SB8, SM9	Hypertonia (Left side hemiplegia)
PARA-SAILING
Richard Dodson	Auckland / Wellington	Sport Class 6	Loss of muscle power (Multiple Sclerosis)
Andrew May	Auckland / Christchurch	Sport Class 4	Loss of muscle power (Paraplegia)
Chris Sharp	Auckland / Auckland	Sport Class 4	Loss of muscle power (Paraplegia)