Story: Disability and disability organisations

First Special Olympics

Olympic gold medallist John Walker and special Olympian Gordon Llewellyn carry the Olympic flame at New Zealand's first Special Olympics in 1985. Held in Lower Hutt, the event attracted more than 700 athletes, who competed in events including track and field, swimming and indoor bowls.

Using this item

Alexander Turnbull Library, Dominion Post Collection (PA-Group-00685)

Reference: EP/1985/1501

by John Nicholson

Permission of the Alexander Turnbull Library, National Library of New Zealand, Te Puna Mātauranga o Aotearoa, must be obtained before any re-use of this image.

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How to cite this page

Martin Sullivan, Disability and disability organisations – Sports organisations, Te Ara – the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, https://teara.govt.nz/en/photograph/29181/first-special-olympics (accessed 4 June 2026).

Story by Martin Sullivan, published 30 March 2011.