Young photographer wins surprise visit

A Gore schoolgirl’s gold medal effort has brought a Paralympics medallist to Gore.

"Where is my healthy place?" is a nationwide creative photo competition ran by the Bupa Foundation, Paralympics New Zealand and NZ Landcare Trust.

It invited schoolchildren to submit a photo of their healthy place to win a visit by a Paralympian and have the chance to plant a few trees to commemorate the big win.

Eden Barbour, 9, of St Mary’s School, Gore, entered a photo of the view from the top of East Peak, near Gore, after a long climb up the hill, showing off Southland from the summit.

Eden had no idea she had won until earlier this month, when she had a surprise visit from para athlete Holly Robinson, of Dunedin, at a school assembly, leaving her "speechless".

Robinson, who won a gold medal for javelin at the 2020 Tokyo Paralympics and a silver at Rio de Janeiro in 2016, as well as a bronze medal for shot put in the 2024 Paris games, answered pupils’ questions before planting native trees at the school with the children.

Eden said she was very happy to have won the competition and said it was awesome to meet such a remarkable athlete and experience it with her friends.

"It was cool.

"She won a bronze medal, and I got to wear it, and I also got to hold the shot put that she uses.

"I loved it when I got to share [the visit] with all of the school, because it wasn’t just for me, it was for the whole school," she said.

Robinson said it was a great visit, addding it was a big perk of her job as an athlete.

"The kids were all really excited, you can see it on their faces, they’re smiling, they’re excited, they just want to listen and hear.

"To me, it’s really special I get to do that, to support in the Paralympics sports space and give them a bit of excitement as well," she said.

Robinson said as someone who competed in some of the biggest events in the world and was living her dream, moments where she could give back were equally valuable.

"I was a young girl sitting over on the West Coast, listening to Danyon Loader talk about his experiences and medals, and for me that was a massive motivator.

"To be able to go and talk to the kids, give them a little piece they can take into their own lives, that’s a really special thing," she said.

Bupa New Zealand managing director Pedro Sanchez said, in a statement, the organisation loved these kinds of events and seeing the engagement and enthusiasm from both the athletes and the pupils.

"It’s great to bring NZ Landcare Trust and Paralympics New Zealand together to create such a meaningful day for the kids.

"The athletes are so generous with their time and really make a lasting impact," he said.

gerrit.doppenberg@odt.co.nz