Dubai 2019: New Zealand name team

Paralympic medallists head the initial team announced by Athletics New Zealand for the Dubai 2019 World Para Athletics Championships, which take place in November in the UAE.

Further Para athletes are due to be added in the coming weeks, with Athletics New Zealand expected to send their largest team to a Worlds.

The team of 18 athletes includes Rio 2016 Paralympic medallists Holly Robinson, Anna Grimaldi and William Stedman.

Robinson won javelin F46 silver at the last three major championships – the 2018 Commonwealth Games, 2017 World Championships and 2016 Paralympic Games – behind Great Britain’s Hollie Arnold, and each time the competition between the pair was spectacular.

The 24-year-old will head to Dubai with plenty of major experience under her belt – she competed in her first World Championships back in 2011 and won her first major medal – a silver behind Arnold - at Lyon 2013.

This year the Dunedin-based Para athlete has already made a big impression, throwing a new world record* of 45.73m at the Australian Track & Field Championships in April, more than a metre further than Arnold’s best achieved at the 2018 Commonwealth Games.

Grimaldi and Stedman have both been selected for their third World Championships, having also competed in 2015 and 2017.

Grimaldi, 22, won Paralympic long jump T47 gold at Rio 2016 and is looking to return to the international stage in good form after suffering from recurring injuries over the last two years.

Stedman will compete in the long jump, 100m and 400m T36 at Dubai 2019. The 19-year-old already has two Paralympic bronze and one world silver to his name.

Jessica Gillan (nee Hamill) returns for her fifth World Championships, having medalled in the shot put F34 in three of the four competitions she has competed in to date. The 28-year-old will no doubt be looking for a podium finish to add her collection of one bronze and two silver world medals.

Also featuring in the women’s shot put are Lisa Adams (F37) and Tayla Clement (F43) - both currently ranked number one in the world in their classification.

*world record subject to ratification by World Para Athletics

New Zealand Team

Lisa Adams - F37 shot put / F37/38 discus throw

Danielle Aitchison - T36 100m / T36 200m

Alyssa Baxter - T37 100m / T37 200m / T37 long jump

Tayla Clement - F43/44/62/64 shot put / F43/44/62/64 discus throw

Caitlin Dore - F37 shot put / F37/F38 discus throw

Amy Dunn - F41 shot put

Anna Grimaldi - T45/46/47 100m / T45/46/47 long jump

Jessica Gillan (nee Hamill) - F34 shot put

Aodhan Hamilton - F36 shot put

Mitch Joynt - T44/62/64 100m / T44/64 200m

Libby Leikis - T37 200m

Jack Lewer - F20 shot put

Jacob Phillips - T35 100m / T35 200m

Keegan Pitcher - T38 100m - T38 400m

Holly Robinson - F45/46 javelin throw

William Stedman - T36 400m / T36 long jump / T36 100m

Anna Steven - T44/62/64 100m / T44/64 200m

Ben Tuimaseve - F37 shot put