Speakers Biography
Name: Grant William Sharman
D.O.B: 8th December 1961
Email: grant.w.sharman@gmail.com
Phone: (Home) 09-232-0007 | (Mobile) 021-272-9088
Education/ Qualifications:
• School Certificate – 6 subjects
• University Entrance – 5 subjects
• Coaching NZ level 1
• CTM, ATM – Toastmaster levels of achievement
Employment:
• Receptionist – Vision Wallcoverings 1982 - 1989
• Hospital Aide – Spinal Unit 1988 - 1991
• Artist – Mouth & Foot Painting Artists 1981 – present
• Consultant and reporter for "Attitude" programme 2004 – 2008
• Beijing Performance Director – Paralympics NZ 2006 – 2008
• High Performance Director – Paralympics NZ 2008 – 2011
• High Performance Consultant 2011 – present
• Elected to the VDMFK International Board 2017 – present
Sports: Paralympics
• Discipline(s): Wheelchair Rugby, Target Shooting – Air Rifle
• Classification: 1.0 point, SH2
• Disability: Tetraplegic
Sports career highlights:
• First representing NZ at 1995 World Cup in Switzerland - bronze
• First captaining NZ at 1996 Atlanta Paralympics - bronze
• 1998 World Cup in Toronto – silver and selected as best 1.0 pointer
• Playing in front of 10,000 people at 2000 Sydney Paralympics - bronze
• Coach of Wheel Blacks to 2004 Athens Paralympics - gold
• Coach of Wheel Blacks to 2006 Christchurch World Championships – silver
• Coach of Wheel Blacks to 2008 Beijing Paralympics – fifth (character building!)
Other Achievements:
• Success at Toastmasters NZ : National finalist, prepared speech section 1991 Winner, National Impromptu Speech Contest 1994
• Various art awards
• Awarded MNZM in 2004 New Years Honors for services to the disabled community and sport
• 2005 Aucklander of the Year
• 2007 Kings College Old Collegian of the Year
• 2012 Southwell School ‘Associate of Honor’
Public Speaking/ Media Experience:
• Several T.V. interviews, Good Morning, News, Holmes, Breakfast.
• Short documentaries, Jim's Car Show, Disability programme etc.
• Newspaper and radio interviews.
• Numerous public speaking engagements to both large and small audiences.
• Toastmasters – see above
• Was an Associate Producer and a presenter for the television series, "Attitude", produced by Robin Scott-Vincent dealing with disability issues on a Sunday morning.
