Dad life adds extra motivation to flagbearer Leslie's Paralympics ambitions

Three-time gold medallist Cam Leslie doesn't have much left to tick off on his Paralympics bucket list.

But there's one such accomplishment he'll add to his glowing CV on Thursday (NZ time), when he leads the NZ contingent up the iconic Champs-Elysees avenue and the Place de la Concorde as flagbearer at the Paris 2024 Games.

The decorated swimmer will be accompanied by Anna Grimaldi, who will try to defend her long jump crown (T47) for a third successive occasion.

Leslie admits it will be a proud moment - one he's had his sights set on dating back to his Paralympics debut at Beijing 2008.

"I've been part of opening ceremonies before and I always thought, 'man, that must be really cool to carry the flag, to be the first Kiwi out on the deck'," Leslie told SENZ's Scotty & Izzy. "So, I'm really looking forward to a very special moment.

"Anna has been around a long time like myself, so it'll be kind of cool to be alongside her. She's a good rooster as well, so she'll enjoy it. I'll enjoy it. We'll have smiles on our faces and we'll be having a laugh while we do it."

As he has been for the past 16 years, Leslie will enter the Games as one of New Zealand's best medal prospects.

The former wheelchair rugby star is a three-time champion in the 150m medley SM4, a title he chose not to defend at Tokyo 2020 due to the impending birth of his second child and the associated complications of COVID-19 travel.

Returning for his fourth Games, Leslie will also be competing in the 50m, 100m, and 200m freestyle, as well as the 50m backstroke.

The 34-year-old Northlander has spent the build-up to the Games entrenched in training camp in Spain, where he says the signs have been encouraging, despite all of the newfound challenges of juggling Paralympics preparations with the demands of fatherhood.

"We did three season best times (in Spain) on our time trials, so we're in good shape, that's for sure," he explained. "It's just a case of converting that into the competition arena.

"Obviously, the training load backs off a bit more from then too, so you hope to be a little bit fresher.

"It's been just a different sort of style of training this time around. Being a dad and the pressures that come with parenthood and trying to be an athlete still as well as is different.

"What's important to you nowadays versus what was important to you as a young athlete are two totally different things. The priorities of athlete needs versus family needs are two different things, right?

"So, it's been different with priorities and stuff like that." As challenging as that situation's been, Leslie hasn't tempered his expectations for what he's capable of achieving in France - instead using his whanau as another driving force in the pool.

"I want to hit a podium. I'm competitive. I've got a different reason wanting to compete and stuff like that with doing my kids and family proud as well this time. But I still want to win.

"I'm coming to these Paralympic Games to hit a podium. I'd love more than one. I'd be happy with one. But that's the goal, to do hopefully some of my best times I've done in this cycle.

"But also, to hit that podium would be the dream for me."

The Paris 2024 opening ceremony begins at 6am, Thursday.

Listen to the full interview below: