Todd Muller National MP

Last Friday I had the pleasure of helping out with the launch of our very first Disability Sports Festival which was held at the ASB arena over the weekend.

It was a very successful initiative with hundreds of locals turning up to view disabled sports in action and on the Sunday meeting with Paralympians Adam and Corey.

But it was a weekend showcasing much more than holding some very impressive ribboned gold and bronze medals.

It was a chance to see and meet local athletes who apply themselves with extraordinary grit and determination to their sports from wheelchair rugby, to basketball, to Boccia, and blind bowls.

They are remarkable people, all with stories of immense courage and determination to maximise the opportunities that life affords them.

At first glance, their opportunities might appear more limited due to their disability, but seeing them in action, I felt they were grasping more of life than many able bodied people including myself. They are true inspirations, indominable spirits that really make an impact.

We all should look for opportunities to lean in to these local champions and learn from their humble examples.