- Graham Condon
Graham Condon QSM,JP (
11 February 1949 -8 September 2007 ), was a disabled athlete who won 7 medals forNew Zealand competing inParalympic swimming and athletic events and a total of 36 medals in international competition overall. Press.co.nz. (2008) Funeral biggest show in city: Retrieved March 19, 2008, from http://www.stuff.co.nz/4202531a24035.html] He was also a local-body politician and a disability advocate.Biography
Condon was rendered a paraplegic after contracting childhood polio Councillor Condon killed in road crash: Retrieved March 26, 2008, from http://library.christchurch.org.nz/Reference/Backgrounders/condon/)] and was the only New Zealander to take part in six consecutive Paralympics [tvnz.co.nz. (2008) High achiever Condon remembered: Retrieved March 19, 2008, from http://www.tvnz.co.nz] and one of the founding members of ‘Parafed Canterbury’. Parafed Canterbury strives to boost sport and recreational involvement among the disabled. Alongside this he was also a board member of the national sports agency SPARC, for five years He represented New Zealand at six Paralympics between 1968 and 1988. Mr. Condon was elected as a councillor in 1995 and served four terms as a city councillor (Press, 2008). He was standing for re-election for the Shirley-Papanui ward in the October 2007 election.
Death
On Saturday 8 September 2007 the 58 year old Condon was killed in an accident involving a car while riding his hand-propelled bicycle. He was struck by a fifteen year old driver on Lower Styx Road, Brooklands, north of
Christchurch City.Christchurch City Council (2008) Media releases: Councillor Graham Condon killed in tragic accident today: Retrieved March 25, 2008, from http://www.ccc.govt.nz] The funeral was held at the Cathedral of the Blessed Sacrament where hundreds of mourners paid their respects.Tributes
The Christchurch City Mayor said a new public swimming pool would be named the ‘Graham Condon Leisure Centre’. It is the first of three new aquatic facilities to be built in Christchurch during the next 13 years
References
* [http://www.paralympic.org/release/Main_Sections_Menu/Sports/Results/paralympics_search.html?sport=all&games=all&medal=all&npc=NZL&name=condon&fname=&gender=m paralympics.org athlete search]
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