Cameron Leslie

{{Infobox swimmer

| name = Cameron Leslie

| honorific_suffix = {{post-nominals|country=NZL|MNZM|size=100%}}

| image = Cameron_Leslie_(cropped).jpg

| image_size =

| caption = Leslie in 2009

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1990|1|17|df=y}}

| birth_place = Whangārei, New Zealand

| classification = S5, SB3, SM4

| club = North Shore Swimming Club

| medaltemplates =

{{MedalCountry |{{NZL}} }}

|spouse=Emma Leslie}}

Cameron Leslie {{post-nominals|country=NZL|MNZM}} (born 17 January 1990){{cite web |url=http://beijing.sparc.org.nz/nz-athletes/paralympic-athletes/aquatics.htm |title=Paralympic Athletes - Swimming |accessdate=12 September 2008 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20081014060904/http://beijing.sparc.org.nz/nz-athletes/paralympic-athletes/aquatics.htm |archivedate=14 October 2008}} is a New Zealand paralympics swimmer and wheelchair rugby player.

Early life and education

Leslie was born with a quadruple limb deficiency.{{cite web |date=15 September 2008 |title=Paralympics: Latest Kiwi news |url=http://tvnz.co.nz/view/page/417227/2075341 |accessdate=11 September 2017 |publisher=One Sport}}{{Cite web |last=(www.journey-digital.com) |first=Site designed and developed by Journey digital ltd, Auckland, New Zealand |title=Stories of the disabled community |url=https://attitudelive.com/watch/cameron-comes-of-age/#:~:text=In%20everything%20he%20does,%20Cameron,chasing%20his%20second%20Gold%20Medal.&text=Barney%20lost%20his%20hands%20and,on%20the%20life%20lessons%20... |access-date=2024-08-31 |website=attitudelive.com |language=en}} He attended Pompallier Catholic Collage.https://www.pompallier.school.nz/wp-content/uploads/sites/173/2024/08/2024-08-16-Newsletter.pdf He was also a student at Auckland University of Technology (abbr. AUT; Māori: Te Wānanga Aronui o Tāmaki Makau Rau). Leslie holds a Bachelor of Communication Studies from AUT.{{Cite web |title=Cameron Leslie {{!}} Sport New Zealand - Ihi Aotearoa |url=https://sportnz.org.nz/about/our-structure/cameron-leslie/ |access-date=2024-08-31 |website=Sport New Zealand {{!}} Ihi Aoteroa |language=en}}

Of Māori descent, Leslie affiliates to the Ngāpuhi iwi.{{cite news |date=5 August 2016 |title=43 Māori athletes to head to Rio Olympics |url=http://tvnz.co.nz/te-karere-news/43-m-ori-athletes-head-rio-olympics-6485449 |accessdate=6 August 2016 |work=Te Karere}}

Leslie got into swimming at an early age, because there were few sporting options for people with disabilities.{{Cite web |last=Castaing |first=Camille |date=2024-06-17 |title=Fighting for balance and inclusion - three-time gold medallist, Cameron Leslie |url=https://balanceisbetter.org.nz/fighting-for-balance-and-inclusion-three-time-gold-medallist-cameron-leslie/#:~:text=Born%20and%20raised%20in%20Whangarei,forearm%20on%20his%20left%20side. |access-date=2024-08-31 |website=Balance is Better |language=en-NZ}} As a twelve-year-old, his coach placed negative values on him. These relations and a weak debut at the 2006 IPC Swimming World Championships in Durban,https://oepc.at/downloads/Ergebnislisten_Weltmeisterschaften/WM-Schwimmen_2006_Durban_RSA.pdf lead Leslie to nearly quit the sport.{{Cite web |last=Hoggard |first=Jon |date=2019-03-09 |title=Cameron Leslie: Paralympic Pioneer |url=https://balanceisbetter.org.nz/cameron-leslie-paralympic-pioneer/ |access-date=2024-08-31 |website=Balance is Better |language=en-NZ}}

At a Have a Go Day in 2007, Leslie was introduced to wheelchair rugby. Before long he went for training with the Auckland team twice a week. Soon after, he was selected for the Wheel Blacks.

Career

File:Cameron Leslie in front at 2012 Summer Paralympics.jpg.]]

Leslie won the gold medal in the men's 150 m individual medley at the 2008, 2012 and 2016 Summer Paralympics.{{cite web |title=Paralympians more respected now, says triple gold winner Cameron Leslie |url=https://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/113218465/paralympians-more-respected-now-says-triple-gold-winner-cameron-lesliee |work=Stuff |accessdate=13 September 2019 |date=5 June 2019}}

In 2013, he won the gold medal in the men's 150 m individual medley, and a bronze medal in the men's 50 m backstroke, at the IPC Swimming World Championships in Montreal.{{cite web |accessdate=11 September 2017 |publisher=tvnz.co.nz |url=http://tvnz.co.nz/othersports-news/kiwi-medal-tally-continues-climb-in-montreal-5534263 |title=Kiwi medal tally continuing}}{{cite web |url=http://www.paralympic.org/events/montreal-2013/live-results |title=Live Results: 2013 IPC Swimming World Championships |publisher=paralympic.org |date=17 August 2013 |accessdate=11 September 2017}} In 2019, he won the gold medal in the men's 50 m backstroke at the World Para Swimming Championships in London. Just prior to this, he helped New Zealand's wheelchair rugby team, the Wheel Blacks, claim a bronze medal at the IWRF Asia-Oceania Championship to qualify for the 2020 Summer Paralympics.{{cite news |url=https://www.newshub.co.nz/home/sport/2019/09/tokyo-paralympics-2020-kiwi-swimmer-cameron-leslie-helps-new-zealand-win-another-gold-in-london.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240411170926/https://www.newshub.co.nz/home/sport/2019/09/tokyo-paralympics-2020-kiwi-swimmer-cameron-leslie-helps-new-zealand-win-another-gold-in-london.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=11 April 2024 |title=Kiwi swimmer Cameron Leslie helps New Zealand win another gold in London |newspaper=Newshub |date=13 September 2019 |access-date=13 September 2019}}

Honours

In 2008 Leslie received the New Zealand University Blues Award for Maori Sportsperson of the Year and he was also awarded Auckland University of Technology's Male Athlete of the Year in the same year.

Leslie was made a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit in the 2009 New Year's Honours, for services to swimming.{{cite web |date=31 December 2008 |title=New Year Honours List 2009 |url=https://dpmc.govt.nz/publications/new-year-honours-list-2009 |accessdate=15 September 2019 |publisher=Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet}}

Leslie was appointed National Para Swimming Development Coordinator by Swimming New Zealand in September 2018. In this time, he supported the development of para swimming in 172 centres across New Zealand. In December 2019 he was then appointed as an intern on to the Board of Sport New Zealand.

References

{{reflist|30em}}{{Cite web |date=2024-08-31 |title=Cameron Leslie: 'Absolute dream' to represent two sports at Paralympics |url=https://www.nzherald.co.nz/kahu/cameron-leslie-family-the-driving-force-for-2024-paralympics/HZWY6G4NNVHTXD73HCVM2KEBBQ/ |access-date=2024-08-31 |website=The New Zealand Herald |language=en-NZ}}

External links

{{PNZ|cameron-leslie-164}} ([https://web.archive.org/web/20160720180322/http://www.paralympics.org.nz/Para-Athletes/Athlete-Profiles/Cameron-Leslie archive])
{{IPC|cameron-leslie}}
[https://www.paralympic.org/en/paris-2024-paralympics/athlete/cameron-leslie_2000988 Cameron Leslie] at the Paris 2024 Summer Paralympics ([https://olympics.com/en/paris-2024-paralympics/athlete/cameron-leslie_2000988 alternate link], [https://paris2024.rtve.es/es/paris-2024-paralimpicos/atleta/cameron-leslie_2000988 alternate link 2])

{{S-ttl|title =Halberg Awards
Para Athlete or Para Team of the Year|years=2023}}

Category:1990 births

Category:Living people

Category:New Zealand male medley swimmers

Category:New Zealand wheelchair rugby players

Category:Medalists at the World Para Swimming Championships

Category:Paralympic swimmers for New Zealand

Category:Paralympic gold medalists for New Zealand

Category:Paralympic medalists in swimming

Category:World record holders in paralympic swimming

Category:Swimmers at the 2008 Summer Paralympics

Category:Swimmers at the 2012 Summer Paralympics