Grant Sharman

In 1977 aged 15, Grant broke his neck playing rugby. After three months in Middlemore Hospital, Grant was transferred to the newly opened Spinal Unit with the distinction of being it’s first patient. Grant was resident at the Spinal Unit from 1977-1988.

Grant played wheelchair rugby and was a member of the New Zealand Wheel Blacks at the 1995 and 1998 World Championships and 1996 and 2000 Paralympics, captain for the last three events. In 2003 he was appointed the Wheel Blacks Coach and the team went on to win the Gold medal at the 2004 Athens Paralympics and the Silver medal at the 2006 World Championships in Christchurch. Grant was also Paralympics NZ’s High Performance Director from 2008-2012.

Being a member of The Halberg Sport Award’s judging team is both an honour and a privilege. It is an extraordinarily challenging task as you are comparing our best athletes achieving great things in a vast array of sports and competitions, all with their own points of difference.
I reconcile this by reminding myself we are celebrating NZ sports, athletes and coaches.

NZ coach, Grant Sharman during the Wheelchair Rugby match between New Zealand a nd Canada at the Indoor Olympic Arena, Athens, Greece on Saturday 25 September, 2004. The Wheelblacks won the match, 31 – 29 to win gold. PHOTO: Hannah Johnston/PHOTOSPORT