Not only did Moana have to manage our team of players and supporters, along with accommodation, travel and two of her own kids in hand, she had to muster up enough discipline and energy to compete to win silver for sparring and bronze for technical.
Michael was out of his comfort zone being put into the men's open heavyweight division on the day of his competition, but he gave the guys 20 years younger than him a run for their money. At 1m 30 seconds into the second round of his first fight Michael brought the stadium to a standstill with a left high roundhouse to his opponents jaw, knocking him down for the 10 count.
Aotearoa Taekwondo Te Puke have an upcoming event in Auckland on October 20, which will follow up our success in Australia.
Master Eruera would like to thank the community and local businesses for their support and help with our fundraising efforts.
Medal results:
Gold: Merrissa Shipton, Blake Ward, Christopher Vazey
Silver: Kayne Jackson-Gilmour x2, Leigh Stuart, Moana Gauld
Bronze: Michael Button, Merrissa Shipton, Seth Hudson, Blake Ward, Christopher Vazey, Moana Gauld.
Cricket: Senior reserves
Defending Western Bay of Plenty Reserve grade champions Katikati open the new season with a match on the artificial surface at Ferguson Park this Saturday.
Katikati's opponents on Saturday are the Sangha CC team who come from the local Indian community. While Mount Green annexed both the Reserve first round and T20 competitions last season, Katikati came from third place in the qualifying competition to win the championship title. The side from the extremities of the Western Bay posted 183 against Otumoetai Cadets and then bowled Cadets out for 161, to claim the Western Bay silverware.
There are few more enthusiastic sides in Western Bay cricket than the Sangha team members who play each match with a genuine love of the game. While they finished in sixth place in the last season's championship standings, they caused several upsets during the season.
The Reserve title chase has returned to two full rounds, with semifinals and the decider on the last day of cricket in late March.
One team likely to relish the return to a two-round championship is Cadets. Last season they finished as top qualifier in the championship round, only to fall at the last hurdle when beaten by Katikati in the title decider.
On Saturday Cadets will square off against Tauranga Boys' College at Mitchell Park. Papamoa, who have returned to the Reserve division after playing in B Grade last season, meet Te Puke on the Gordon Spratt Reserve wicket, with Mount Maunganui seconds hosting Greerton at Blake Park.
WBOPCA Reserve Grade draw:
Mount Maunganui Seconds v Greerton, Blake Park 3; Tauranga Boys College v Cadets, Mitchell Park; Sangha CC v Katikati, Ferguson 4; Papamoa v Te Puke, Gordon Spratt Reserve; Mount Maunganui Thirds bye.
Squash: National champ
Katikati junior squash player Glenn Templeton is the national under-11 champion.
The 10-year-old added the title last weekend to the South Island under-11 championship he won earlier in the year. It was a hard-fought five set final in Palmerston North against his rival Kobe Fleming from Wellington and was sweet revenge after losing to Kobe in the North Island under-11 final earlier in the year.
Surfing: NZ reps
Mount Maunganui surfers Jordan Griffin, Josh Taylor, Luca Cressy, Mackenzie Christie, Kaya Horne, Kehu Butler and Kea Smith have been named in an extended squad of 35 surfers in preparation for the 2012 ISA World Surfing Championship which takes place in Nicaragua in July 2013.
The squad includes surfers from eight regions throughout New Zealand.
There were a few stand-out surfers at the National Scholastic Champs held at Fitzroy Beach, New Plymouth last week that the selectors have also included in the squad and want to take another look at.
The Bay of Plenty team that reclaimed the National Scholastic Champs teams title had several members named in the squad, including newcomers such as Kayden Mayes and Luca Cressy. The region also had the likes of Kea Smith and Kehu Butler named in the squad, two young surfers that were too young to compete at the Scholastic Champs but continue to impress in other events.
The pared-down travelling team of 24 will be announced on the 23rd of April.
Bay reps:
Under 18 Boys
Jordan Griffin, Josh Taylor, Luca Cressy, Mackenzie Christie (Mount)
Under 16 Boys
Kaya Horne, Kehu Butler (Mount)
Under 16 Girls
Kea Smith (Mount)
Swimming: Pool success
Otumoetai Swimming Club (OSC) under the guidance of head coach Stefan Swanepoel sent a team of nine swimmers to the New Zealand Short Course Swimming Champs held in Wellington last week.
After five months of intensive preparation, the team was ready to take on the best from around New Zealand. Of the 57 individual race entries, the OSC swimmers gained 41 personal best times. OSC was the top-performing BOP club, finishing 20th overall on club points from the 77 clubs attending. Most of the top 20 were clubs from the four main city centres.
Leading the OSC charge was Jessica Miller in the 16 year girls category who won national silver in the 400m Freestyle in 4:20.26, breaking the BOP record previously held by Taylor Armstrong. Miller also won national bronze in the 400m Individual medley, fourth placings in the 200m Free, 800m Free and 200m IM and fifth in the 200m Butterfly.
Also achieving top five national placings was the up-and-coming Samantha Carter (13 year girls), in the 50m, 100m and 200m Butterfly, Josh Pickett (13 year boys), in the 50m Breaststroke, and Cameron Witney (17-18 year boys), in the 1500m Freestyle, knocking 15 seconds off his personal best. Witney achieved a 100 per cent personal best rate for the event.
Further Top 10 national placings were achieved by Rhianna Maxwell (14 year girls) in the 200m Butterfly and 800m Free, George Williams (13 year boys) in the 50m, 100m, 200m Backstroke and 200m Free, Britney Goodrick (17-18 year girls) in the 100m Backstroke and 50m Butterfly, Josh Pickett in the 100m and 200m Breaststroke, Cameron Witney in the 400m Free, Samantha Carter in the 100m, 400m IM and 200m Breaststroke and Jessica Miller in the 100m Freestyle.
Tayla Clement (15 years old) competed in the Athletes with Disabilities multi class and won three gold medals in the 50m, 400m Free and 200m IM, and three silver medals in the 100m Free, 100m Butterfly and 100m Breaststroke.
Coach Swanepoel said that for eight of his swimmers to gain top 10 placings was outstanding.
Surf Life Saving: Rescue worlds
Papamoa Surf Life Saving Club members Natalie Peat and Ben Johnston will represent the New Zealand under-20 team at the Rescue 2012 world championships in less than a month.
The pair will also be helping train up the next generation of surf stars (10-14 years) at the club during the season, under the direction of club coach Kurt Wilson.
Papamoa has a registration and information day this Sunday at 4pm, ahead of the season opening at Labour Weekend.
For more information, contact Kurt Wilson on 027 556 1569 or Nikki Pol at the club on 5422 122.