New Zealand at the 1972 Summer Paralympics
Sporting event delegation
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New Zealand sent a delegation to compete at the 1972 Summer Paralympics in Heidelberg, West Germany. They sent ten competitors, seven male and three female.[1] The team consisted of Graham Condon, Leo Close, Neroli Fairhall, Graeme Marett, Keith McCormick, Dennis Miller, Tina Morgan, Chris Nicholls, Eve Rimmer, and Jim Savage.[2]
The New Zealand contingent brought back nine medals, with five of the ten competitors obtaining medals.[2]
Medallists
| Medal | Name | Sport | Event |
|---|---|---|---|
 Gold | Graham Condon | Athletics | Men's Discus 3 |
| Gold | Eve Rimmer | Athletics | Women's Pentathlon 3 |
| Gold | Eve Rimmer | Athletics | Women's Shot Put 3 |
 Silver | Graeme Marett | Athletics | Men's Discus 2 |
| Silver | Eve Rimmer | Athletics | Women's Discus 3 |
| Silver | Eve Rimmer | Athletics | Women's Javelin 3 |
 Bronze | Graeme Marett | Athletics | Men's Pentathlon 2 |
| Bronze | Jim Savage | Athletics | Men's Shot Put 3 |
| Bronze | Tina Morgan | Swimming | Women's 25 m Freestyle 1B |
Disability classifications
Athletes at the Paralympics in 1972 were all afflicted by spinal cord injuries and required the use of a wheelchair.[4] This is in contrast to later Paralympics that include events for participants that fit into any of five different disability categories; amputation, either congenital or sustained through injury or illness; cerebral palsy; wheelchair athletes; visual impairment, including blindness; Les autres, any physical disability that does not fall strictly under one of the other categories, for example dwarfism or multiple sclerosis.[5][6] Each Paralympic sport then has its own classifications, dependent upon the specific physical demands of competition. Events are given a code, made of numbers and letters, describing the type of event and classification of the athletes competing.[7]