#226Mike Todd

Grassroots

Hi everyone, my name is Mike Todd.

As a child, I have fond memories of going camping with my family, going to the beach, mucking around with my friends and playing cards and board games with my Gran.

My hometown

I grew up in Ashburton in the South Island before making the move to live in Christchurch.

My journey as a Para athlete

I was born with Charcot-Marie-Tooth (CMT) disease which is a neurological condition that effects all of my limbs. I was introduced to Wheelchair rugby in 2008 and have represented Canterbury ever since. I love the sport of Wheelchair rugby. It is competitive, full noise, full contact – it’s just full on!

The first time that I represented New Zealand was in 2015 at Trust Arena in Auckland, we played Australia. My mum, dad, sister and her kids all travelled up to Auckland to watch me play.  Growing up, I remember watching teams representing New Zealand, singing the anthem, doing the haka, and wearing the silver fern and now, it was me doing that. Wheeling out into the stadium was so emotional and one of my proudest moments as a Para athlete. I was filled with such a sense of pride in myself and having my family there to support me only made it more special.

To train to be the best you can be, you need plenty of support.  I listen and learn from all of the people that I am lucky enough to have on my support team. I also have to figure out what worked for me when it came to training and preparing for competition.  I have to try lots of different foods to figure out how to fuel my body in the best way. When exercising, I listen to my body and adjust my schedule and the type of exercise that I do. Before wheeling out into competition, I listen to comedy.

“Laughing and having fun is important. Playing with lightness and enjoyment is when I perform at my best.”

The Paralympic value of determination underpins my journey as a Para athlete and drives me to continue to do the mahi! I know that I will never reach my goals without hard work and dedication. If I was to give some advice to someone working towards their own goals, it would be to make sure that you are doing it for you. Give everything a go, try not to say no to opportunities. You never know where those opportunities will lead you.

Fun facts

• The best meal for me is one that I have at home, sharing food with my family.
• Autumn is my favourite time of year; it’s the perfect temperature.  Not too hot and not too cold!
• My perfect day would be starting at 10 o’clock in the morning, so I guess that makes me a mid-morning kind of person.
• My best holiday is camping at Tōtaranui with my family in Abel Tasman National Park.
• I love Japan, the food, the people, it is just a special place to visit.