Medal-winning paralympian Fiona Southorn seldom leaves home without enough avocados to eat at least one a day.

The real estate agent from Waipu eats an avocado a day – and on race days she has three or four pieces of toast, avocado and Marmite for breakfast before taking to the track.

She enjoys has a year-round supply of the fruit from Freshmax technical manager Dave Alderton, as well as sponsorship for her training kit and travel from Freshmax NZ.

The nutritious fruit is an essential part of Fiona’s diet and indeed her training programme. Fiona says when she’s at home “it’s an avocado on my salad with my dinner”.

“They are a great source of energy with good oils and lucky they are so tasty.

“I’m not a big meat-eater. Avocado give me the good fats I need and are a lasting fuel, which helps with my stamina for training and racing.”

Trained by Jono Hailstone, Fiona takes her sport seriously; training six days a week.

The 46-year-old, whose disability is described as limb deficiency in her left arm, says she got hooked on riding after biking to work.

This led to her first international appearance, where she won a silver medal at the world championships.

Fiona’s next big challenge is a world cup event in Italy and the Road Worlds in California in August.