New Zealand para-cyclist Nicole Murray with her medal from the 2024 UCI Para-cycling Track World Championships, Rio de Janeiro. Photo: PHOTOSPORT
A five strong New Zealand Para-cycling team is hoping to turn world championship success into Olympic medals at the Paris Paralympic Games next month.
Rory Mead, Nicole Murray and Anna Taylor are returning for their second games, while Devon Briggs and Ben Westenberg will make their paralympic debut in Paris.
Murray competes in her second Paralympic Games fuelled by the belief that since her appearance at the Tokyo 2020 Games, she has been a consistent harvester of medals on the global stage.
The 31-year-old left-hand amputee from Otorohanga finished fourth in the C5 Individual Pursuit in Tokyo and enjoyed a noteworthy 2023 World Championships in Glasgow winning gold, silver and bronze medals on the track highlighted by top spot in the podium in the C5 Omnium.
Such was her dominance in the C5 classification, Murray was named Best Female Summer Athlete at the 2023 global PARA SPORT awards.
Murray, who is selected for the Women's C5 individual pursuit and Women's C4-5 500m Time Trial, as well as the Women's C5 Road Time Trial and Women's C4-5 Road Race in Paris 2024, said: "I'm excited by the road racing in Paris because it will be one of the most interesting and variable courses I've raced on.
"The past few years have been a lot of hard work, and I'm really looking forward to seeing what my team-mates and I can do."
Anna Taylor, a former rower, has caudia equina syndrome (spinal cord injury) and has also impressed on the global stage and claimed Women's C4 Time Trial silver and Women's C4 Omnium bronze at the 2024 Para-Cycling Track World Championships in Rio.
Taylor will compete at Paris 2024 in the C4 Individual Pursuit, and Women's C4 Time Trial on the road.
New Zealand para cyclist Devon Briggs at the 2023 World Track Championships. Photo: PHOTOSPORT
Hand cyclist Rory Mead returns for his second Paralympic Games hoping to improve on his fifth-place finishes in the Men's H2 Time Trial and Men's H1-2 Road Race at Tokyo 2020.
Cambridge-based Devon Briggs, 20, has enjoyed a stellar year after winning the full suite of medals at the 2024 Para-Cycling Track World Championships in Rio in March.
In Brazil, Briggs, who has Bilateral Talipes (club feet), romped to a stunning gold medal success in a world record time in the Men's C3 1km Time Trial and also won C3 Omnium silver and C3 Individual Pursuit in an outstanding all-round display.
The psychology student has earned selection for the Men's C1-2-3 1km Time Trial and Men's C3 Individual Pursuit and will also compete on the Road in the Men's C3 Time Trial and Men's C1-2-3 Road Race.
The team is rounded out by Tauranga-raised Ben Westenberg who makes his Paralympic Games debut in the Men's C4 Individual Pursuit, and C4-5 1km Time Trial.
The 19-year-old who has Arthrogryposis claimed four top ten places at the 2024 Para-Cycling Track World Championships highlighted by fifth in the C4 Omnium and sixth in the C4 Individual Pursuit.