From not being into sport at school, to competing against world class athletes – Hayley Little has come a long way in her Olympic journey.

The Special Olympics World Games were held back in June in Berlin, Germany, hosting 7000 athletes from about 170 countries from around the globe, competing in 24 sports.

Among them was Tauranga's Hayley Little, who discovered the Special Olympic world in 2020 after wanting to get her mind off Covid-19 lockdowns.

'I thought let's try Special Olympics and I thought I had to be someone that I'm not, that I had to be different and I went there and I found that I could be myself and from then on I really liked it,” says Hayley.

She says she eventually found her niche in track and long jump.

Hayley has hydrocephalus – or extra fluid on the brain.

'I never thought I'd go to somewhere like Berlin or World games or that kind of thing, and at school sport wasn't really a thing of mine and now I just love running in the athletics and long jump.”

Berlin's results

Ahead of the World Games in June, Hayley competed in the Freemasons New Zealand National Summer Games 2022, placing second 1500m and third in long jump. When it came to competing at Berlin, and on international turf, Hayley says there was a hiccup. 'I got disqualified from my 800m track event because I put my foot out of the line and I came into the lane too early.” Without this technicality disqualification Hayley would've placed third in the world for her event. Nonetheless, Hayley says she's grateful to participate and also beat her personal best by a whole 28 seconds. In her 400m track event she placed fifth and had another PB!

Unluckily, the keen long jumper couldn't put her training to the test at the World Games as Australia and New Zealand athletes were pulled from competing. 'There were too many countries doing it so they pulled us out at the last minute… I was a bit gutted when they said I couldn't do the long jump because I'd been training for so long but it is what it is.”

Memories for life

Either way, Hayley is grateful to have had the experience. 'I'll always remember this for the rest of my life because it's just like watching the Olympics on TV except its real life. It was just amazing.

'I've learnt so much in the last few years just how strong and brave people are you know –not just me. The Special Olympics gives me so much confidence.

'I love to advocate for people not just with hydrocephalus but any disability and say: 'You've got this! Every day is a challenge but let's embrace it and do life!”

For now, athletics starts back up this month and Hayley will be out hitting the track. 'I'll be training but not as hard as I was…just getting fit until athletics starts back up again and we'll see what that brings because you never know what's going to happen.”