| Npc: | NZL |
| Npcname: | Paralympics New Zealand |
| Games: | Summer Paralympics |
| Year: | 1972 |
| Location: | Heidelberg |
| Competitors: | 10 |
| Gold: | 3 |
| Silver: | 3 |
| Bronze: | 3 |
| Appearances: | auto |
| App Begin Year: | 1968 |
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]
| Medal | Name | Sport | Event |
|---|---|---|---|
| Graham Condon | Men's Discus 3 | ||
| Women's Pentathlon 3 | |||
| Women's Shot Put 3 | |||
| Graeme Marett | Men's Discus 2 | ||
| Women's Discus 3 | |||
| Women's Javelin 3 | |||
| Graeme Marett | Men's Pentathlon 2 | ||
| Jim Savage | Men's Shot Put 3 | ||
| Women's 25 m Freestyle 1B | |||
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]