Paralympic Gold Medallist Tupou Neiufi Photo: PHOTOSPORT
Almost half of the New Zealand Paralympic team are debutants but there is still a stack of experience heading into the Paris Games.
New Zealand's most successful athlete, swimmer Dame Sophie Pascoe has retired, but swimming, athletics and cycling are among the eight sports that New Zealand is competing in that should bring home medals.
The 25-strong team has plenty of athletes with multiple games under their belts and they'll be relying on that experience to lead them to success.
Reigning javelin champion Holly Robinson is ready to defend her gold medal and make the podium in a new event.
She is about to compete in her fourth games, but this is her first competing in both javelin and shot put.
Sleep, recovery, and eating well are key to keeping the Dunedin athlete's energy levels up high enough to medal in both.
"Front of mind is defending that gold, but also a secondary medal as well," Robinson told RNZ.
"There are some really good girls at the top in both events so I'll have to be performing at my best on the day, but I'm ready for that challenge."
New Zealand's Holly Robinson competing at the 2024 World Para Athletics Championships in Japan. Photo: supplied / Athletics NZ
Three-time gold medal winning swimmer Cameron Leslie will be racing at his fourth games.
In recent years the 34-year-old has broken his own world records three times, while he won four medals at last year's world champs.
Leslie wants to add to his Paralympic medal tally.
"I want to be on the podium, a hundred percent.
"What colour, don't know because Paralympic sport has got to that level where you cannot guarantee any colour."
Preparation is seldom straight forward for top level athletes and that has been the case for swimmer Tupuo Neiufi who has had to overcome mental health hurdles since her last Paralympic Games.
Neiufi was selected for the 2016 Rio Paralympics when she was just 15. She then won a gold medal at the Tokyo games.
The Aucklander's mental health set her back during her buildup to Paris, but she is learning to manage it.
"When you head is not in a good place, everything else kind of follows with that," Neiufi said.
"I'm very lucky to have an amazing team that has helped me start to overcome that.
"It's not something that just goes away, it is still there now and then, but my amazing team has helped me get through that and to these games."
Neiufi says a medal placing would be nice, but her goal is to break her own times and go faster.
There are 11 athletes at their first games, while shooter Michael Johnson is attending his sixth.
Devon Briggs at the 2024 Para-Cycling Track World Championships in Rio de Janeiro. Photo: supplied
New Zealand team chef de mission Raylene Bates said while there were high expectations for some of their top athletes, they also have targets for everyone.
"If an athlete can go out there and get a PB (personal best) that is the cake, the icing on the cake is a medal.
"Some people will go out and get a PB and not get a medal, while others won't PB but will medal, anything can happen at these games.
"To be realistic if people are ranked in the top eight and make a final, then anything can happen on finals days."
Bates said for those athletes returning after the Covid-hit Tokyo Paralympics, these games have already felt very special.
"Everybody has worked so hard for the last three years and so are really grateful to be here and in an environment so different to Tokyo.
"They're able to embrace people, celebrate being here and feel the love."
New Zealand's team of 25 makes up a part of the more than 4000 athletes from 180 countries taking part.
