![](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/Kz9xuLyWib8LUh6W.jpg\")
Special Olympics New Zealand Athlete Grace Payne (Photo\/Supplied)<\/p>\n
Press Release \u2013 Special Olympics New Zealand <\/p>\n
One of Grace Payne\u2019s goals as a Special Olympics New Zealand Athlete Leader became a reality in Auckland over the weekend, with the successful delivery of the country\u2019s first Unified Schools basketball competition.<\/p>\n
\nUnified Schools is an internationally recognised Special Olympics initiative that brings students with and without intellectual disabilities together to train, play sport and learn alongside one another, helping create more inclusive school communities where everyone has the opportunity to belong.<\/p>\n
The inaugural competition brought together six students from Parkside Specialist School and ten Unified Partners from Auckland and the Waikato, representing Onewhero Area School, Pukekohe High School and Tuakau College. After getting to know one another through basketball activities, skill sessions and creating team chants and strategies, they took to the court in two mixed teams \u2013 the Red Rockets and the Bananas.<\/p>\n
Special Olympics New Zealand Athlete Grace Payne (Photo\/Supplied)<\/p>\n
The Go Go Bananas claimed a 30\u201310 victory, but the real success was seeing young people with and without intellectual disabilities encouraging one another, competing as teammates and discovering what inclusive sport can look like.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis is something I wish I\u2019d had when I was younger,\u201d said Grace.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe reason I wanted to introduce Unified Schools to New Zealand is because I wanted inclusion to be normalised earlier in life. The earlier young people experience inclusion, the more natural it becomes.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cThere were plenty of challenges along the way, but every step brought us closer to seeing students encouraging each other, celebrating together and simply enjoying being part of the same team. I hope this is just the beginning and that schools across New Zealand will have the opportunity to be part of Unified Schools.\u201d<\/p>\n
Grace is a Special Olympics New Zealand Upper North Island Athlete Leadership Council representative and Special Olympics International Sargent Shriver Global Messenger, representing New Zealand nationally, across the Asia Pacific region and internationally while advocating for a more inclusive Aotearoa New Zealand.<\/p>\n
Earlier this month, she contributed to a Special Olympics Asia Pacific research project exploring the experiences of women and girls with intellectual disabilities in sport alongside fellow Athlete Leaders and researchers from Special Olympics Asia Pacific. Later this month, she will represent New Zealand at the Special Olympics Asia Pacific Congress in Singapore as part of the New Zealand delegation.<\/p>\n
Grace has been supported throughout the project by mentor Rowena Massey through Special Olympics New Zealand\u2019s Athlete Leadership Programme.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe Athlete Leadership Programme is about giving athletes the skills, confidence and opportunities to lead in their clubs, communities and beyond,\u201d said Rowena Massey.<\/p>\n
\u201cAs mentors, we\u2019re there to support and guide athletes as they explore opportunities and turn their ideas into action.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cGrace had a clear vision of introducing Unified Schools to New Zealand. Watching that vision become a reality, and seeing young people experience the power of playing sport together as teammates, has been incredibly rewarding.\u201d<\/p>\n
![](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/J6_uTVeNJoa20-qG.jpg\")
Special Olympics New Zealand Unified Schools event (Photo\/Supplied)<\/p>\n
Special Olympics New Zealand Regional Sports Coordinator Andy Napier said the competition demonstrated the power of inclusive sport to bring communities together.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis competition showed what\u2019s possible when schools, volunteers, families and the wider community come together through sport. We hope what Grace has started inspires other regions to see the value of Unified Schools for young people in their communities.\u201d<\/p>\n
Special Olympics New Zealand Chief Executive Fran Scholey said the initiative reflected both the power of athlete leadership and the global vision of Unified Sports.<\/p>\n
\u201cOne of the most powerful things about Special Olympics is seeing athletes lead change. Grace has taken an internationally recognised programme and helped make it a reality in New Zealand. That\u2019s exactly what Athlete Leadership is about, using lived experience and developed leadership skills to create more inclusive communities.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cUnified Sports is changing attitudes around the world by bringing people with and without intellectual disabilities together. Thanks to Grace\u2019s leadership and the commitment of schools, volunteers and our regional team, New Zealand has taken an important first step towards creating more inclusive communities in schools across Aotearoa.\u201d<\/p>\n
Special Olympics New Zealand hopes the success of the inaugural competition will encourage more schools across Aotearoa New Zealand to adopt Unified Schools, helping create more inclusive school communities where students with and without intellectual disabilities can learn, play sport and thrive together.<\/p>\n
\nContent Sourced from scoop.co.nz<\/a>
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