For the businessman, see Cameron Leslie (businessman).
Cameron Leslie
Birth date17 January 1990 (age 36)
Birth placeWhangārei, New Zealand
ClassificationS5, SB3, SM4
ClubNorth Shore Swimming Club
SpouseEmma Leslie

Cameron Leslie (born 17 January 1990)[1] is a New Zealand paralympics swimmer and wheelchair rugby player.

Early life and education

Leslie was born with a quadruple limb deficiency.[2][3] He attended Pompallier Catholic Collage.[4] He was also a student at Auckland University of Technology (abbr. AUT; Māori: Te Wānanga Aronui o Tāmaki Makau Rau). Leslie holds a Bachelor of Communication Studies from AUT.[5]

Of Māori descent, Leslie affiliates to the Ngāpuhi iwi.[6]

Leslie got into swimming at an early age, because there were few sporting options for people with disabilities.[7] As a twelve-year-old, his coach placed negative values on him.[7] These relations and a weak debut at the 2006 IPC Swimming World Championships in Durban,[8] lead Leslie to nearly quit the sport.[9]

At a Have a Go Day in 2007, Leslie was introduced to wheelchair rugby. Before long he went for training with the Auckland team twice a week. Soon after, he was selected for the Wheel Blacks.[9]

Career

Leslie won the gold medal in the men's 150 m individual medley at the 2008, 2012 and 2016 Summer Paralympics.[10]

In 2013, he won the gold medal in the men's 150 m individual medley, and a bronze medal in the men's 50 m backstroke, at the IPC Swimming World Championships in Montreal.[11][12] In 2019, he won the gold medal in the men's 50 m backstroke at the World Para Swimming Championships in London. Just prior to this, he helped New Zealand's wheelchair rugby team, the Wheel Blacks, claim a bronze medal at the IWRF Asia-Oceania Championship to qualify for the 2020 Summer Paralympics.[13]

Honours

In 2008 Leslie received the New Zealand University Blues Award for Maori Sportsperson of the Year and he was also awarded Auckland University of Technology's Male Athlete of the Year in the same year.

Leslie was made a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit in the 2009 New Year's Honours, for services to swimming.[9][14]

Leslie was appointed National Para Swimming Development Coordinator by Swimming New Zealand in September 2018. In this time, he supported the development of para swimming in 172 centres across New Zealand.  In December 2019 he was then appointed as an intern on to the Board of Sport New Zealand.[9]

References

  1. ^ "Paralympic Athletes - Swimming". Archived from the original on 14 October 2008. Retrieved 12 September 2008.
  2. ^ "Paralympics: Latest Kiwi news". One Sport. 15 September 2008. Retrieved 11 September 2017.
  3. ^ (www.journey-digital.com), Site designed and developed by Journey digital ltd, Auckland, New Zealand. "Stories of the disabled community". attitudelive.com. Retrieved 2024-08-31.
  4. ^ "Kia ora koutou katoa" [Hello everyone] (in mi). Archived 2024-08-31 at the Wayback Machine.
  5. ^ "Cameron Leslie | Sport New Zealand - Ihi Aotearoa". Sport New Zealand | Ihi Aoteroa. Retrieved 2024-08-31.
  6. ^ "43 Māori athletes to head to Rio Olympics". Te Karere. 5 August 2016. Retrieved 6 August 2016.
  7. ^ Castaing, Camille (2024-06-17). "Fighting for balance and inclusion - three-time gold medallist, Cameron Leslie" (in en-NZ). Balance is Better. Retrieved 2024-08-31.
  8. ^ "IPC Swimming World Championships 2006 - Prelims Results". 2006-12-02. Archived 2021-12-07 at the Wayback Machine.
  9. ^ Hoggard, Jon (2019-03-09). "Cameron Leslie: Paralympic Pioneer" (in en-NZ). Balance is Better. Retrieved 2024-08-31.
  10. ^ "Paralympians more respected now, says triple gold winner Cameron Leslie". Stuff. 5 June 2019. Retrieved 13 September 2019.
  11. ^ "Kiwi medal tally continuing". tvnz.co.nz. Retrieved 11 September 2017.
  12. ^ "Live Results: 2013 IPC Swimming World Championships". paralympic.org. 17 August 2013. Retrieved 11 September 2017.
  13. ^ "Kiwi swimmer Cameron Leslie helps New Zealand win another gold in London". Newshub. 13 September 2019. Archived from the original on 11 April 2024. Retrieved 13 September 2019.
  14. ^ "New Year Honours List 2009". Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet. 31 December 2008. Retrieved 15 September 2019.
  15. ^ "Cameron Leslie: 'Absolute dream' to represent two sports at Paralympics" (in en-NZ). The New Zealand Herald. 2024-08-31. Retrieved 2024-08-31.

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