Tauranga medal hopes are riding high

Bay athletes will test their skills against the best in the country as Special Olympics National Summer Games  begin in Palmerston North today.
The 53 participants representing Tauranga gathered on Saturday  to fine-tune their skills for the event, which features sporting codes such as athletics, swimming, ten pin bowling and golf.

 Ben Motion said he was a bit nervous but was excited to be able to race against people from other parts of New Zealand.
The 28-year-old  felt "quite well prepared" and  hoped to add another medal to his collection of two gold and two silver medals he won at the regional competition last year.

 Mr Motion's swimming coach, Pat Wakelin, said Ben could swim 100m  in 1min 39sec, which was "very competitive".
Alongside Mr Motion, Mrs Wakelin trains 17 swimmers, 10 of whom are going to the Summer Games.
She got involved with the Special Olympics 12 years ago when her intellectually disabled daughter wanted to take part.
"For many athletes, this is a definite highlight because many of them have not done anything like this before," she said.
Taking part in the Special Olympics was important for people with intellectual disabilities, because it taught them skills like "comradeship", Mrs Wakelin said.
"It is very social, they're all in the same boat and it's about getting out there and having fun." 
Participation is one aspect of the competition but some athletes have a strong chance of winning medals, she said.
"The athletes are quite competitive and this doesn't stop because they have an intellectual disability."
Normally athletes from Australia and the Pacific Islands would come to compete but the economic crisis has meant that they have not been able to come, said Mrs Wakelin.
Similarly, the lack of money means New Zealand can't go to their games either.
"It's a shame really because it's good for the athletes to have international competition and race against international athletes."
The National Summer Games are held every 4 years, as are the winter games.
Competing in the Games is the athlete's ticket to the world games, said Special Olympics Tauranga secretary and team manager, Sally Holbrook.
"One of the provisos to compete in the world games is to compete at the Summer Games," she said.
"There is a selection process and athletes must gain a top three placing," said Mrs Holbrook.
The next World Games are being held in Greece next year.
Mrs Holbrook said it would be "really good to qualify for the World Games because no one from Tauranga has been before".
Currently, there are around 120 special athletes in the greater Tauranga region.