#145Kate Horan

Grassroots

Kia ora tātou, my name is Kate Horan.

When I was growing up I wanted to be a jockey! As a child I absolutely loved horse riding and was lucky to have my own pony which took up most of my time. My favourite memories include riding my horses and playing with my friends.

My hometown

Growing up as a small child I lived in Howick, Auckland then I moved to the northern suburbs of Wellington where I now call Whitemans Valley my home. We have a wee menagerie of animals here, donkeys, ponies, goats, sheep, and chickens. All very doted on pets, some have come as orphans at a very young age and think they are part human. We also have 6 dogs. Some are foster dogs that have been sitting in pounds for a long time and have come to us to give them a second chance.

My journey as a Para athlete

I had my left foot amputated at age 5, due to having one leg shorter than the other. This was to give me the best chance of being mobile and active. I now use a prosthetic leg. I began competing in Para sports when I was an adult in my mid-thirties. I competed in Para athletics – the 100, 200 and 400 metre events competing in the Athens 2004 and Beijing 2008 Paralympic Games and won silver! I then made the switch to track cycling and competed at the Rio 2016 Paralympic Games and competed in the 500m and 3km Individual Pursuit.

“Sport helps to break down so many barriers and Para sport provides an outlet to show the world what we can achieve with what we’ve got or in many cases what we haven’t got.”

I first represented NZ at the IWAS Games (International Wheelchair and Amputee Sports Games) in Christchurch, New Zealand. I had some family come and watch me and I medalled in my events. I was on an absolute high, it was so exciting. I came away with a massive appreciation for Para sport and the barriers it helps to break down. For one of the first times in my life I was proud to be an amputee.

My proudest moment has to be being awarded the MNZM (Member of the NZ Order of Merit). I was awarded it in 2017 for services to Paralympic sport which was the pinnacle of my career as it was a reward for all the years I had put in as a Para athlete and the sacrifices I had made.

“Never be afraid to AIM high, it’s amazing what you can achieve by chipping away at your goals if you break them down to smaller pieces.”

To be the best you can be, you need to have lots of determination! There are lots of ups and downs in sport and you need courage to overcome them! For me determination and courage through training hard and believing in myself were what helped me to succeed. It’s especially hard during winter training to keep motivated and train when it’s freezing cold. It is times like this that I take inspiration from those athletes that have gone before me, overcoming obstacles and doing well in their chosen sport.

Fun facts

• I love sushi and make it at home.
• As a child on a tandem bike my dad and I were racing my mum and sister, well my leg fell off mid race and my dad kept going because he was determined not to lose. There were some very shocked faces on the waterfront that day when they came across my leg all on its own!
• Niagara Falls is my favourite place that I have visited. It was even more magnificent than I could have imagined.
• My dream holiday is near a beach or lake with some great running/riding tracks.
• I can walk with my leg backwards. The best Halloween trick ever!
• If I had a superpower it would be the power to heal so I could cure people.