Bruce Campbell (left) and sons Maia (centre) and Mairangi with the plaque and trophy Maia received as 2024-25 junior sportsman winner at the Tairāwhiti Sports Awards. The function also celebrated the posthumous induction of their wife and mother, Kiwi Campbell, as a Tairāwhiti Legend of Sport (for waka ama) alongside Liz Thompson (for contribution to surf lifesaving and kayaking). Photo / Brennan Thomas, Strike Photography
Bruce Campbell (left) and sons Maia (centre) and Mairangi with the plaque and trophy Maia received as 2024-25 junior sportsman winner at the Tairāwhiti Sports Awards. The function also celebrated the posthumous induction of their wife and mother, Kiwi Campbell, as a Tairāwhiti Legend of Sport (for waka ama) alongside Liz Thompson (for contribution to surf lifesaving and kayaking). Photo / Brennan Thomas, Strike Photography
Kiwi Campbell’s influence on the district’s sporting landscape lay over the Tairāwhiti Sports Awards like the morning mist on the Waimata River.
Campbell, who died in late November last year at 43, was inducted into the Tairāwhiti Legends of Sport on Friday night for her contributions as an elitewaka ama paddler and coach.
Her sons Maia and Mairangi accepted the plaque and framed pictorial citation, which honoured Campbell’s accomplishments as waka ama athlete, coach and leader.
Friends and relatives stood and performed the chant Hautoto as a mark of respect.
The late Kiwi Campbell was inducted into the Tairāwhiti Legends of Sport at the 2024-2025 Tairāwhiti Sports Awards on Friday night. Photo / Liam Clayton
Younger son Maia won the 2024-25 junior sportsman award, which took into account his gold medal-winning form at the national sprint championships and his achievement as the first non-Tahitian paddler to win the prestigious Aito and Super Aito races in Tahiti. He has spent much of this year living in Tahiti, soaking up the canoe culture.
Horouta Waka Hoe paddler Hinekahukura Brooking came under Kiwi Campbell’s influence as a developing talent and, with world sprint and long-distance age-group titles to her name, received the junior sportswoman award on Friday night.
The crack Kaiarahi Toa waka ama crew won the sports team category of the awards. Representing the crew were (from left) Hinekahukura Brooking, Keri Mankelow-Ngatoro, Gaibreill Wainohu, Kaiarahi Brooking-Haapu. Brooking also won the junior sportswoman category. Photo / Brennan Thomas, Strike Photography
And to complete the picture, Kaiarahi Toa – the waka ama team Campbell coached and often steered to victory – picked up the 2024-25 sports team award.
Membership of the Kaiarahi Toa crew has changed continuously as one generation after another of elite female paddlers have dominated the national women’s sprint championships.
Whiti Ora Tairāwhiti (formerly Sport Gisborne Tairāwhiti) chief executive Stefan Pishief said he and his staff were delighted to be able to host the sports awards again after a few years’ hiatus.
“The night certainly didn’t disappoint,” he said.
“We extend our congratulations to those amazing winners on the night, but all the finalists are winners in our eyes, given their significant achievements that have brought so much pride to our region. We thank everyone who made the night possible.”
