The New Zealand Paralympics team has just got bigger following the late addition of two Dunedin athletes for September's games in Rio.
Runner Jacob Phillips and javelin thrower Caitlin Dore were the benefactors of two spots being added to the New Zealand para-athletics team, it was announced yesterday.
The selections take the New Zealand para-athletics team from six to eight.
Dore (20) moved to Dunedin last year to train under coach Raylene Bates and made her international debut soon after, finishing eighth in the women's F37 javelin at the 2015 International Paralympic Committee athletics world championships in Doha.
Phillips has made an inspired return to the track after putting his athletics career on hold when diagnosed with Hodgkin's Lymphoma last year.
He has returned better than ever, clocking personal-best times in both the men's 100m and 200m T35 at the 2016 Australian Championships earlier this year.
He ran the 100m in 14.05 sec and the 200m in 28.98 sec.
Dore and Phillips will be attending their first Paralympics and join fellow para-athletes Holly Robinson and Rory McSweeney (javelin), Anna Grimaldi and William Stedman (long jump, track), Jessica Hamill (shot put) and Liam Malone (track) in the New Zealand squad.
Athletics New Zealand chief executive Linda Hamersley said she was pleased to congratulate two more para-athletes on their selection for Rio.
"We're proud of their achievements, which are recognition of their commitment to their programmes and drive for excellence,'' she said.
"Since the London 2012 Paralympics, we have seen excellent growth in the quality of our new talent, which we aim to continue through to Tokyo 2020.''
Dore and Phillips join Wanaka swimmer Hamish McLean as late call-ups for the games.
McLean was also a late addition to the squad after an extra spot was allocated by the IPC.
