The three-time Paralympic champion celebrated her selection for her first Commonwealth Games in front of her family at the Caledonian yesterday.
Grimaldi, who will compete in the women’s T47 100m and is the first athletics athlete confirmed for Glasgow, was delighted to have the presentation at home.
“It’s surreal to have the presentation here,’’ Grimaldi said.
“It’s even more special to be here at the track I train multiple times a week at. I grew up here, had athletics school days here.
“[I’ve] done and achieved so much and this is kind of the missing piece.’’
Grimaldi, who won bronze in the 100m at the Paralympics in Paris, has not previously been eligible for the Commonwealth Games before as her classification was not included.
“During my time in para sport there's been a real shift in, I think, perception of para sport and understanding of what it means to have a disability, and for myself as well.
“This is a great opportunity to highlight, you know even more ... to put my sport, our sport, the Paralympic movement out there to the world.’’
The 100m has never been Grimaldi’s full focus. She previously poured her energy into long jump after winning in Rio and Tokyo — but has not touched a long jump pit since Paris — and won gold in the 200m in Paris.
But that made it more exciting getting to fully immerse herself in the shorter distance.
“It’s kind of weird that this is the focus for the year, because it hasn’t ever been the 100 ... so that’s quite exciting.’’
After being at the top of her game for more than a decade, Grimaldi assumed many of her “firsts’’ were over in her career, having earned her inaugural gold medals and selections.
But getting the chance to suit up for another first at the Commonwealth Games was special.
“I think it’s been really special to keep it exciting, to keep motivation high.
“This year is usually a real down year in para sport. There’s no usually Commonwealth Games.
‘I’ve never been eligible so this has been really special to have this year that’s usually an off year ... to now have this really awesome exciting opportunity to get to represent New Zealand again.’’
It will be the first time Grimaldi has been part of the New Zealand Olympic Committee team — usually falling under the Paralympics umbrella — and she is looking forward to the different challenge.
“That’s exciting too, to still be challenged and having new experiences sort of 12 years into my career is pretty cool.’’
Grimaldi, who is coached by Dunedin’s Mikey Jacobs, will stay in Dunedin until the end of June, before heading overseas for a couple of events on the way to Glasgow.
More members of the athletics team will be named in the coming months.
