22 May 2026, Issue 1311
Wheel power The seventh annual Healthvision Festival of Disability Sport returns to Mercury Baypark Arena this weekend, showcasing adaptive sport and celebrating inclusion. More than 250 athletes from around New Zealand are expected to compete in wheelchair basketball, wheelchair rugby,
boccia, wheelchair rugby league and sailing, making it the country’s only crosscode disability sports festival. Bay of Plenty Steamrollers player and former Paralympian Stacey Roche (pictured), who has supported the festival since it began, said the event gave
disability sport the profile it deserves. “It’s the first and only cross-code disability sports festival in the country, which is pretty awesome,” she said. Highlights would include national wheelchair rugby and basketball tournaments, a women’s wheelchair rugby
showcase, and community ‘have-a-go’ sessions to encourage participation in adaptive sport. Sailability events will also be held at Tauranga Marina on Saturday morning, alongside a casual athlete awards evening on Saturday night. Read more on pages 12-13. Photo / Kelly O’Hara
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