Western Bay of Plenty’s only athlete to compete in the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games, which begin Thursday, is debutant Ben Westenberg who’ll be cheered on with pride by many back here at home.

The 19-year-old will compete in Para cycling when the games begin following an opening ceremony from 6am-9am NZ time Thursday, August 29.

Ben and teammate Devon Briggs are set for their maiden Paralympic Games as part of New Zealand’s five-strong Para cycling team – with Paralympians Rory Mead, Nicole Murray and Anna Taylor all returning for a second games following appearances at Tokyo 2020.

Ben, who attended Omokoroa No.1 School then Tauranga Boys’ College, will make his Paralympic Games debut in the Men’s C4 Individual Pursuit, and C4-5 1km Time Trial.

He competes Friday night from 9.30pm NZ time in the Men’s C4-5 1000m Time Trial, and on Saturday, August 31, from 9pm NZ time in the Men’s C4 4000m Individual Pursuit.

Ben was born with arthrogryposis multiplex congenita, or AMC, a rare congenital condition which affects the joints in Ben’s arms and has restricted strength and movement in his hands.

“My disability means that holding onto the handlebars and in particular braking is difficult,” he says. “I ride a mountain bike with a hand brace and 3D printed adaptations to the brakes that I helped design. Track cycling is perfect for me because there are no brakes.”

Western Bay of Plenty’s Ben Westenberg is set for his maiden Paralympic Games as part of NZ’s five-strong Para cycling team in Paris. Photo: Paralympics New Zealand. 

Ben claimed four top 10 places at 2024’s Para-Cycling Track World Championships highlighted by fifth in the C4 Omnium and sixth in the C4 Individual Pursuit. Then he earned selection to make it to Paris in both the men’s C4 individual pursuit and 1000m time trial events.

Ben grew up in Ōmokoroa, enjoying a rich and varied sporting background playing football and water polo as well as mountain biking from primary school age.

At intermediate age he competed in para swimming at AIMS Games before being introduced to Para cycling via a Para Cycling Talent ID Camp in 2019. “I thought it was pretty cool and once I started racing, and once I started to enjoy some success I was hooked,” says Ben.

The former Tauranga Boys’ College student was selected into the Para Cycling High Performance Athlete Development Squad at 14 and has gone from strength to strength ever since.

In March 2023, Ben shattered the NZ C5 individual pursuit record, clocking 4:40.742 to hack several seconds from the previous record. On his international debut at 2023’s World Championships in Glasgow Ben excelled to secure C4 15km silver in the scratch race and bronze in the C4 omnium.

Believing he has a “good natural endurance base” and enjoying the “process of training” the industrial design student is also fortunate to train at Cambridge around other top-class Para cyclists.

“It is a massive help to train alongside and be able to talk to the other Para cyclists because they know and understand what you go through.”

Ben, who is coached by Damian Wiseman, is one of Paralympic NZ’s 25 athletes competing in Paris across eight Para sports from August 29-September 9, with TVNZ broadcasting all 11 days of the exhilarating competition.

Back here at home Omokoroa No.1 School principal Craig Pentecost says his school will definitely be watching highlights of Ben competing at the Paralympics.

“And if it matches timewise – we’ll watch him live at school with the students cheering him on because he is still known to many of our older students.”

Craig says Ben’s family has a long history with Omokoroa No.1 School. Ben attended the school from age five right through to Year 8.

“Obviously we’re all very proud of him but we knew he was destined for great things,” says Craig.

“When you’ve seen him as a student you could just sense that he had that determination and attitude and commitment to go above and beyond to get to that top level.

“Despite his disability, he remained an incredibly capable individual. Whether it was swimming, biking, or running, he excelled in everything he took on. His disability never held him back; instead, he approached every challenge with unwavering determination and gave his all, always striving to be the best,” says Craig.

As such, Ben is a role model for the school. Craig says it’s great to be able to tell children at the school that: “Here’s this child that went to this school and for them to release that pathway through to Olympics level is achievable for them”.

Tauranga Boys’ College associate principal Ian Stuart says Ben attended the college from 2019 to 2023 and was part of the school’s mountain biking and cycling teams for a number of years.

He was last year named joint-winner of TBC's 2023’s 'Best Performance by an Individual Athlete' Award – with fellow Olympian Julian David (Rock Climbing) – for placing in the ParaCycling World Championships.

Ian says Ben was a very focussed and driven young man at school “but very humble with it”. “Ben spoke openly about his riding and really wanted to achieve to the highest level.

“As a school we are very proud of him making the Paralympics team and know that he will do New Zealand proud. As a school we will highlight Ben’s events at school assemblies.”

Kiwi can watch the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games live on TVNZ 1 from 7.30pm nightly from August 29-September 9, with coverage including five pop-up channels on TVNZ+.