Pippa Wellstead's son Jack (10), who took part in the Independence Games at QEII park in Christchurch from April 17 to 19, was the only competitor from Central Otago. The games are organised annually by CCS Disability Action.
A total of 92 children from Aoraki, Canterbury, Marlborough, Southland, Waitaki, West Coast and Otago competed in the games which included disciplines in athletics and swimming.
The children were categorised into intellectual, physical and visually impaired in each age group from 8 to 16-plus to ensure fair competition.
Jack was in the 8 to 10-year-old age group and was part of the Otago team which won the prize for the most points.
Mrs Wellstead said Jack had Fragile X Syndrome, the most common inherited form of developmental disability, and although he was 10 he had the capabilities of a 6-year-old child.
Although she was a carrier, she did not have Fragile X Syndrome and was fortunate her two younger children had not developed it.
‘‘I wasn't aware I was a carrier for it until Jack was diagnosed at the age of two,'' Mrs Wellstead said.
There was a 50 per cent chance if you carried the disease you would pass it on to your children, she said.
The games had given Jack the opportunity to compete with children with ‘‘similar abilities and give him a better sense of what it's like to win''.
He had been able to make new friends and had helped a blind girl to find her team members, she said.
‘‘Jack went up to her and said, ‘you can't see me, but I'm Jack'.
‘‘Jack took her by the hand and said, ‘I'll show you'.''
‘‘She was so cute,'' Jack said.
He was keen to take part in the games again next year. ‘‘As much as he had a good day doing the track and field on Saturday, he really loves swimming and that was his forte,'' Mrs Wellstead said.
In his age group for track and field, Jack won shot put and discus and came second in the obstacle race, the 50m, 75m and 100m dash. At the swimming on Sunday, Jack won the 25m freestyle and 50m backstroke and competed in the relay for his age group.
Mrs Wellstead said she would like to see more children from Central Otago with disabilities going to the Independence Games and was prepared to help organise a group to compete next year.
There was nothing similar provided in the region, she said.
‘‘Certainly one thing I've got out of it is to start a team here for children with disabilities,'' she said.
