Get choice, flexibility and control over how you use your funding and who provides your support to live the life you want. Long time Manawanui customer, Jaden Movold has done exactly this, and blown us away with his achievements.
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Jaden is an ambassador, athlete, paralympian, leader, advocate and fundraiser. He encompasses a positive can-do spirit despite facing disability challenges every day. Living with Spina Bifida and a rare condition called VATER Association, Jaden has undergone 31 major surgeries by the young age of 18. But he hasn’t let this stop him achieving amazing feats!
Jaden has a global social media following and has made friends with many high-profile musicians, artists, athletes and celebrities. We caught up with Jaden a few years ago when we shot the video above – and we wondered “What has he done since?”
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What has Jaden done since? The answer is “a whole lot!”
In 2021, he took out the Spirit of Attitude Award which is awarded to someone who has a unique journey and has risen to the considerable challenges of their disability to achieve personal goals.
From a young age, Jaden has been passionate about sport and always wanted to be a competitive athlete. He tried many sports from horse riding to wheelchair basketball and surfing but his main sport is wheelchair racing, and he is hoping to qualify for the Paralympic Games in the future.
So far in 2023, Jaden has joined Medifab as an ambassador and well as travelled to Canberra, Australia to compete at the Summer Down Under Racing Series. He came Third in the Open Men’s Wheelchair 5000m event, shaving 15 seconds off his personal best, as well as securing a bronze medal as part of Australia’s National Champs. On top of that he also got personal bests in the 100m, 800m, 1500m as well as being mentored by a top Japanese Paralympian. While in Australia Jaden undertook international Classification, which has allowed him to be world ranked. He also heads off to Switzerland in May to compete at a World Para Athletics.
[Photo credit: paralympian.co.nz]
Jaden and his whanau have achieved so much already – he is an inspiration to so many. As a social enterprise which champions Self Direction, we know that Jaden embodies the spirit of Manawanui and we wish him every success in his exciting endeavours to represent New Zealand.
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Keep up to date with Jaden’s success:
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