Holly Robinson

Started: She took up the sport at age 14 in Hokitika, New Zealand. (Athlete, 06 Nov 2019) Reason: She was involved in a number of sports when she was younger, including rugby, athletics, netball and basketball. She did not like athletics at first, and focused on the other sports. "I came back some years later and began liking the field events. I think Para sport has the ability to show others anything is possible." (nzherald.co.nz, 13 Apr 2018, 20 Dec 2019) Ambition: To win gold in javelin at the 2024 Paralympic Games in Paris. (rnz.co.nz, 11 Jul 2023) Awards: In 2020 she was named Otago Athlete of the Year and Otago Para Athlete of the Year at the Otago Sports Awards in New Zealand. (odt.co.nz, 10 Jul 2020) In 2017 she received the Maori Sportsperson with a Disability award at the Maori Sports Award Gala in Auckland, New Zealand. (maoritelevision.com, 02 Dec 2017) She was flag bearer for New Zealand at the opening ceremony of the 2016 Paralympic Games in Rio de Janeiro. (MyInfo, 06 Sep 2016) She was named 2012 Taieri College Sportswoman of the Year in New Zealand. (taieri.school.nz, 22 Nov 2012) She was named Para Athlete of the Year at the 2010 Athletics Canterbury Athlete of the Year Awards in New Zealand. (athletics.org.nz, 21 Jun 2010) Additional Info: SHOT PUT WORLDS MEDAL She won silver in the F46 shot put at the 2023 World Championships in Paris, France, having not competed in shot put at the world championships for 12 years. She finished fourth in the F46 javelin, which she won gold in at the 2020 Paralympic Games in Tokyo. "I actually went to my first world championships as a shot putter and javelin thrower and so it's sort of come full circle that I'm going to my sixth doing both. When I was young I did all the throwing events and back then I was probably leaning towards shot put as my favoured event. It's exciting, I'm definitely a specialised javelin thrower and a secondary shot putter and I have a lot to learn. It seems weird that I will [be] going into the [2024] Paralympics as the world shot [put] silver medallist and fourth in javelin, so it is kind of backwards for me. It would be cool to compete in two events and medal in two events at the Paris Paralympics." (rnz.co.nz, 11 Jul 2023, 15 Jul 2023) COACH She has coached junior athletes at the Athletics Taieri club in Dunedin, New Zealand. (odt.co.nz, 07 Sep 2016)

Sporting Relatives: Her father Steve and her twin brother Jonathon have played rugby union for the West Coast provincial team in the Heartland Championship in New Zealand. (newshub.co.nz, 22 Mar 2018)