Dreams closer to reality

BROTHERS SHOW THEIR POTENTIAL: Te Kotahi Kaio-Wynyard (left) and younger brother Ihaka dream of playing darts as professionals. Their performances in Invercargill bode well for their chances. Picture supplied

A pair of Gisborne brothers' dreams of becoming darts professionals moved a triple 20 closer in the deep south last weekend.

Ihaka Kaio-Wynyard, 11, won both Dart Players New Zealand junior ranking tournaments in Invercargill to leap to the top of the national junior rankings.

He was one of several Gisborne players who competed at the Southland Darts Association-hosted event. Elder brother Te Kotahi was also there.

Ranked No.2 junior in the country going into the tournaments, Turanganui a Kiwa Darts Association and Brezz'N Sports Club members Ihaka and Te Kotahi, No.10, headed south with mother Lorna Wynyard.

The pair have been coached by father Corey Kaio since they were knee-high, developing their skillset but also learning other elements key to the sport, including respect, attitude and patience.

The tournaments were numbers 5 and 6 in the ranking series.

Fourteen players took part in tournament No.5.

Ihaka and Te Kotahi got through to the main round, 501 best-of-seven format.

Ihaka won comfortably to progress to the best-of-nine semifinals where he came up against another outstanding Gisborne talent in Renata Leach — a New Zealand team member at the world junior champs in Gibraltar.

Ihaka won to move into the best-of-11 final against yet another young Gisborne gun, 2019 NZ Clubs junior champion Hunter Eyles.

Ihaka trailed 4-1 but hit the reset button, kept his composure and showed patience to claim the next five games for a 6-4 victory.

The win also earned him 20 rankings points.

The No.6 tournament featured 11 entries,

Ihaka progressed to the main round where he came up against Eyles and the pair had another tight tussle before Ihaka won 4-3.

Next up was a battle of the brothers, with Ihaka downing Te Kotahi to advance to the semifinals against another Gisborne opponent in New Zealand junior representative Irie Eyles.

It proved a close one, Ihaka getting across the line 5-4.

The final pitted Ihaka against Leach. Ihaka settled into his work early to forge a 4-1 lead. Leach won the sixth game but Ihaka upped the pressure with some fine darts and went on to win 6-2.

The second set of 20 rankings points moved him to the top of the DPNZ national rankings with 88 points, 24 ahead of second-placed Eyles.

Te Kotahi jumped to seventh-equal.

The final ranking tournaments are in Upper Hutt on February 22 and 23.

The Kaio-Wynyard brothers have a huge calendar of darts ahead of them, including several out-of-town events, with the ultimate goal of competing on the “big stage” as professionals.