Jaden Movold

Grassroots

Hi, my name is Jaden Movold.

Besides sports, I fell in love with fishing from a very early age. Whether it was fishing at the Tongariro Trout Centre, on Lake Taupo, or at the end of a dock in Auckland, it has always been one of my favourite hobbies, and still is.

One of my favourite childhood memories was being invited by Justin Timberlake to attend his concert in Las Vegas after winning a fundraising competition for the charity Star Jam when I was only 7 years old. I was a VIP guest, so I walked the red carpet, had front-row seats, and hung out backstage with many celebrities and performing artists such as Vanilla Ice, Wayne Brady, the Commodores, and so many more. I even got to rap on stage with Vanilla Ice in front of 10,000 people!

My hometown

My journey as a Para athlete

Being sports mad from a young age, I always wanted to be a competitive athlete.  I started exploring Para sports when I was really young. I was always keen to give things a go, so I tried just about everything such as, gymnastics, horse riding, surfing, skiing, athletics, cycling, swimming, wheelchair rugby, wheelchair basketball, wheelchair tennis, triathlons, outdoor bowls, and table tennis.

After exploring all of these Para sports, I discovered a passion for Para athletics. My main sport now is wheelchair racing and my classification is T54. On the track I do distances ranging from 100m up to 10,000m. On the road I do races ranging from 5km up to 21km.

My first time representing New Zealand was in March 2022, when I attended the Australian National Championships in Sydney. As it was my first ever international competition, my goals were to get the experience and a feel for what it’s like to race on the track with other wheelchair racers of similar or better abilities. With that being said, I did manage to come away with a 4-second PB in the 800m and took home a bronze medal in the 400m Open wheelchair event.

I have a fantastic team around me to support me to be the best I can be. Aside from my mum and dad, I have my main track coach, a strength and conditioning coach, and I get incredible support from the wider international wheelchair racing community through legends of the sport, both coaches and racers.

I have so many proud moments within my wheelchair racing career already; whether it be attending my first nationals, being on the podium numerous times at local and national events, breaking NZ age group records, getting back on the track, and giving it my all despite having endured five major surgeries in the previous months, attending several road and middle distance track events as the only wheelchair racer, gaining PBs, being given many opportunities to speak to groups about my sport, attending my first international competition and beating some of the Aussies, and all the minor and major gains I have achieved in being a fitter, more technical, more strategic, and stronger athlete. Every little step that leads me in the right direction to become an international racer proudly representing my country makes me proud.

I currently train 6 to 7 times a week, which typically includes two gym sessions and 4 to 5 sessions in my racing chair, either on my rollers or on the track. I have a high-performance coach who takes a focused scientific approach to my training to ensure I am training at my optimum and avoiding unnecessary fatigue and risk of injury.

The Paralympic values are vital to being a successful athlete. I have always been determined in many areas of my life to prove to others and myself that having a disability does not need to hold you back in achieving your goals. When you are born with physical challenges and experience societal and attitudinal additional challenges throughout your life, it drives you harder and teaches you to be resilient. A determined mindset is vital in any sport, as the road is not always easy. It would help if you had the courage to keep going when things get tough and know that difficult times don’t last forever. Sport is not easy when you want to be the best, but the journey can be enriching if you work hard and find enjoyment in what you do.

I have racing mentors who are some of the best wheelchair racers in the world who inspire me with how good they are and how humble and passionate they are in what they do. The wheelchair racing community is very embracing. I have been lucky to do several zoom training sessions on my indoor rollers with some of the world’s number one wheelchair racers (even if it is 3 in the morning!).

“Finding inspiration in whatever way that keeps you motivated is essential. Everyone has a unique story and something to be inspired by.”

One of the most significant pieces of advice I would give to someone who wants to pursue a high-performance sport is to go to your national sports organisation and learn more about the sport you are interested in. Try out many sports, especially if you are young, as you could find a sport you love that you had never considered before. I always thought I would be a competitive swimmer until I discovered wheelchair racing and learned this sport was for me. I learned to be flexible with change.

Fun facts

• My favourite food is sushi.
• My favourite time of the year in New Zealand is summer but I do love a white Christmas in Canada.
• I don’t do karaoke but if I had to choose it would definitely be “Lose Yourself” by Eminem.
• When I think about my favourite movie I am torn between the Greatest Showman as I love the diversity in the film, and The Boy in Striped Pyjamas because it is not a typical feel good Hollywood film but displays the harsh realities of life.
• I am definitely a night owl so getting up early for training can sometimes be a challenge, lol.