Basketball: Student honoured to be part of games

Tauranga basketballer Courtney Wilson will take part in the inaugural Gallipoli Games this month. Photo / George Novak

Courtney Wilson will retrace her great grandfather's footsteps, 100 years after he walked the beaches at Gallipoli in World War I.

Wilson, 19, is one of a privileged group of 70 young New Zealanders who will contest the inaugural Gallipoli Games along the historic battlefield locations to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the Battle of Gallipoli in World War I.

"It is really special for my family for me to go over there and be a part of everything because my great grandad was given a medal of bravery for fighting with the New Zealand troops in Gallipoli," she said.

"It is a real privilege. My late uncle who just passed away had been over there previously. We don't get to go to the dawn service because that is something you have to go into a ballot for well in advance but we will have some sort of Anzac service. There is also a separate opening ceremony on April 25 so effectively we almost have two opening ceremonies for these games."

Wilson is competing in the 3x3 basketball competition in Gallipoli. The former Aquinas College student is in her second year studying physiotherapy at AUT University in Auckland and has represented New Zealand in basketball at under-18 and under-20 level.

She is not sure what to expect from the other competing university student athletes from Turkey, Australia, India, Germany, France and the United Kingdom.

"Just being over there and being part of everything will be huge and such an honour," she said. "To be able to play and get exposure to all those different countries will also be really cool, so to combine them both is going to be an awesome trip.

"We had AUT trials and from there a list was sent to a whole lot of different coaches and it just came back with names. It was a really sudden and unexpected selection and I am really excited.

"What I like most about 3x3 is to get out there and be yourself because you don't have that same structure that you have in five-on-five on court.

"You just have to go for it with speed and intensity. I really enjoy that aspect."

Wilson has been lucky enough to go to Las Vegas with the NZ Storm invitational selection for the past two years.

She was involved with the North Harbour team in the 2014 national Women's Basketball Competition but this year she is proud to be representing Tauranga's first national league team, the Tauranga City Coasters.