Article courtesy of the New Zealand Olympic Committee.
Three-time Paralympic gold medallist Anna Grimaldi has been selected to represent the New Zealand Team at the Glasgow 2026 Commonwealth Games, her first Commonwealth Games appearance.
Grimaldi is the first athletics athlete named in the New Zealand Team for Glasgow and will compete in the Para athletics Women’s 100m T47, with more athletics athletes set to be confirmed in the coming months.
She said having her classification included in the Commonwealth Games for the first time was an exciting prospect.
“The Commonwealth Games has always been something I’ve wanted to experience. I’ve heard a lot about the Games from fellow athletes and I’m looking forward to getting over to Glasgow and competing,” said Grimaldi.
The Paris 2024 Paralympic gold medallist said competing as part of a fully integrated New Zealand Team was something she was looking forward to.
“There’s something really special about being part of a team where Para athletes and able-bodied athletes compete together. It creates an environment where everyone is pushing for the same goal and supporting each other.”
Grimaldi said her focus now turns to preparation.
“I’m proud of the work that’s got me to this point, but there’s still plenty to do. Glasgow is a new challenge and I’m looking forward to preparing well and representing New Zealand with pride.”
New Zealand Olympic Committee (NZOC) Chief Executive, Nicki Nicol, welcomed Grimaldi to the Team.
“It’s lovely to welcome Anna as our first athletics athlete to the New Zealand Team,” Nicol said.
“Anna embodies what a New Zealand Team environment is all about, she competes with pride andnsupports those around her. It was great to see her in Dunedin for our recent King’s Baton Relay week and we’re looking forward to cheering her on in Glasgow.”
Athletics New Zealand CEO, Cam Mitchell, congratulated Grimaldi on her selection and reinforced that further athletics announcements are on the way.
“Congratulations to Anna on her selection to the New Zealand Team for Glasgow 2026,” Mitchell said.
“Anna brings world-class experience and a proven ability to perform on the biggest stages; we’re delighted to have her as our first confirmed athletics athlete.”
“This announcement marks the start of athletics selections, and we’ll add more names in the coming months as the athletes continue to build towards Glasgow 2026,” he said.
The Glasgow 2026 Commonwealth Games will take place from 23 July to 2 August, with able-bodied and Para athletes competing in the same Games.
Anna Grimaldi MNZM Bio
Anna Grimaldi will make her Commonwealth Games debut at Glasgow 2026, competing in the Para athletics Women’s 100m T47.
A three-time Paralympic gold medallist, Anna Grimaldi is one of Aotearoa New Zealand’s most loved and respected Para athletes. Across three Paralympic Games she has consistently performed at the highest level, earning her place among the country’s most successful athletes on the global stage.
Born and raised in Dunedin, Anna developed a passion for sport at a young age, despite being born without her right hand. She played netball and basketball before Para athletics provided the pathway that would shape her sporting career.
Her journey took a significant step forward in late 2013 when she attended a Paralympics New Zealand Talent Identification camp in Dunedin. From that point, Anna’s rise through the international ranks gathered momentum.
Anna made her mark at her first World Para Athletics Championships in 2015, claiming a breakthrough bronze medal in the Women’s Long Jump T47. The result placed her firmly on the international radar.
Her Paralympic dream became reality at the Rio 2016 Paralympic Games. Aged just 19, Anna won gold in the Women’s Long Jump T47, leaping to a personal best in the final round to secure the title. The performance captured the hearts of the nation and Grimaldi was appointed a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit in the 2017 New Year Honours for her services to athletics.
Motivated by her success in Rio, Anna committed to being a full-time athlete. After overcoming a foot stress fracture, she returned to form at the 2019 World Para Athletics Championships, where she won silver in the Women’s Long Jump T47.
During the 2021 domestic season, Anna produced a string of personal bests, improving her national long jump T47 record by 29cm. That form carried through to the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games, where she successfully defended her long jump title.
Leading from the opening round in Tokyo, Anna set a Paralympic record of 5.74m before extending it to 5.76m with her fourth attempt, once again standing on top of the podium.
The 2023 World Para Athletics Championships in Paris proved another defining chapter. Working with new coach Mike Jacobs and arriving early to prepare, Anna delivered a standout campaign. She claimed her first global track medal with bronze in the Women’s 100m T47 after setting an Oceania record in the heats.
In her signature long jump event, she broke her own national record to win silver with a leap of 5.96m, underlining her strength across multiple disciplines.
Anna continued her form at the Kobe 2024 World Para Athletics Championships, adding silver in the Long Jump T47 and bronze in the 100m T47 to her growing medal collection.
One of two flagbearers for the New Zealand Paralympic Team at the Opening Ceremony of the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games, Anna went on to deliver an unforgettable Games. She set two Oceania records on her way to bronze in the Women’s 100m T47 and narrowly missed the podium in the long jump.
Her Games ended in spectacular fashion in the Women’s 200m T47. Setting Oceania records in both the heat and final, Anna stormed to gold in a personal best of 24.72, improving her pre-Games mark by more than a second.
Anna carried that momentum into the 2025 World Para Athletics Championships in New Delhi, where she secured bronze in the Women’s 200m T47 after missing a medal in the 100m by one thousandth of a second.
Off the track, Anna has balanced elite sport with study, completing qualifications in Quantity Surveying and Construction Management through the University of Otago and Open Polytechnic. In 2025, she was recognised at the ISPS Handa Halberg Awards, winning Para Athlete or Para Team of the Year.