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Three-time Paralympian Andrew May became the final sailor recognised by Paralympics New Zealand as part of the Celebration Project which officially celebrated the achievements of New Zealand’s 209 Paralympians since Tel Aviv 1968.
May made his Paralympics debut in the Sonar in Atlanta in 1996 and went on to compete in Sydney four years later in the single-handed 2.4mR when he finished sixth. He then teamed up with Rick Dodson and Chris Sharp in the Sonar in Rio in 2016 when they were fourth.
May, who is Paralympian number 102, won the Phoenix class national championships as a 16-year-old before a car accident the following year left him as a paraplegic.
He was one of 39 Paralympics who received their pins at a ceremony in Christchurch earlier this week, which was the 12th and final community event as part of the Celebration Project.
The official Paralympic ‘number’ is a unique number that is bestowed only once a Paralympian has competed at their first Paralympic Games. Athletes are then ordered alphabetically within each Paralympic Games.
New Zealand Paralympic teams have brought home a staggering 221 medals since first competing in 1968.
