Nor'West News: January 25, 2024

8
Thursday January 25 2024
McKenzie aims for Paralympics
• By Dylan Smits
MCKENZIE DRAGE is in
the pool six days a week in
preparation for the New Zealand
championships in April, with
a long-term goal of competing
at the Los Angeles 2028
Paralympics Games.
The 19-year-old was born with
Apert syndrome, but it has never
stopped her from pursuing her
dreams.
“I am very determined and like
to face challenges with a positive
mindset,” she said.
Apert syndrome causes fusion
of bones in the fingers, toes, and
head and neck. Various surgeries
were needed during Drage’s infancy
and childhood to improve
her quality of life.
“School and social life have
been a challenge but I’ve never
let my disability hold me back
from setting goals and achieving
them,” she said.
When swimming, Apert
syndrome mainly affects Drage’s
range of movement as she cannot
fully extend her arms, neck or
shoulders.
“I have limited reach and kicking
ability, but I follow a daily
stretching programme to try and
develop my flexibility.”
Drage works part time as
a lifeguard at Jellie Park. She
attended Hagley College until
graduating last year and lives on
the family farm near McQueens
THE RIGHT
LANE:
McKenzie
Drage with
the award
qualifying her
team for last
year’s Oceania
tri series.
Drage’s longterm
goal is
to compete
in the 2028
Paralympics.
Below – with
coach Emma
Smith.
Valley with her parents and older
brother.
Farm life has taught her how to
work hard.
“I’ve learned how to get jobs
done and be organised with my
time.”
The family owns 80 free range
chickens, and Drage is partly
responsible for selling their
eggs to customers in Christchurch.
She has always enjoyed swimming
and started competing in
year 11.
“Being able to swim well helps
me feel confident in any water.
I really like the discipline of
training hard and feeling fit and
healthy.”
Drage is part of the Aquagym
Swim Club where she is coached
by Emma Smith.
In September, she represented
New Zealand for the first time at
the Oceania tri series swimming
‘Everyone has differences and strengths, and life is about
making the most of what you have’ – McKenzie Drage
championships in Hastings.
She won the 100m individual
medley, achieving a personal
best of 1min 52.4sec.
“I feel really satisfied when I
get a personal best time in a race
I have been focusing on,” she
said.
“They don’t come easy though,
there’s a lot of hard work and
sometimes you get disappointed
when you don’t make a time.”
Drage is training hard ahead
of the New Zealand swimming
championships in April.
With her eyes on the future,
Drage wants to achieve qualifying
times for the world para
series in Melbourne next year
and then the Los Angeles 2028
Paralympic Games.
Being a paraswimmer has
given her amazing opportunities,
she said, like meeting her hero,
Paralympian Sophie Pascoe,
and being able to represent New
Zealand in international competitions.
“Everyone has differences
and strengths, and life is about
making the most of what
you have.”
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