Gisborne athletes 'world class'

TALENT POOL: Gisborne surf lifesavers showed the depth of talent in the district with their performances at the Surf Life Saving New Zealand Pool Championships in Auckland last weekend. Medallists from the three clubs included, back (from left): Brad Hill (Wainui), Jamie Joblin (Wainui), Michael Pickett (Waikanae), Nathan Proctor (Waikanae), Edan Wilson (Waikanae), Jonty Evans (Wainui) and Jack Keepa (Wainui). Seated: Sophie Petro (Midway), Jodiesha Kirkpatrick (Midway), Kassie Owen (Midway), Brooke Willock (Waikanae), Petiata Bowden (Midway), Yahni Brown (Midway), Oakley Brown-Terekia (Midway) and Sonia Keepa (Wainui). Front: Max Phillips (Midway) and William Matthews (Midway). Absent: Laura Quilter (Wainui), Olivia Corrin (Midway) and Imogen Amor-Bendall (Wainui). FPS Visual picture

OUTSTANDING performances from Gisborne clubs Waikanae, Midway and Wainui during the Surf Life Saving New Zealand Pool Championships in Auckland put this district on the map, says Wainui team manager Sonia Keepa.

“What these Gisborne athletes achieved over the weekend was world class,” Keepa said.

These were the biggest New Zealand pool champs to date, with over 680 athletes, including 31 from Australia, she said.

The event was sanctioned by the International Life Saving Federation, which meant that any world records set over the weekend would be sanctioned by the federation — “fantastic credibility” for the event.

“The depth of surf lifesaving pool rescue talent we have in our region is phenomenal,” Keepa said.

“Laura Quilter (Wainui) is a member of the three-time world champion New Zealand Black Fins team and a world record holder in the 50-metre manikin carry.

“Chris Dawson (Midway) is also a member of the Black Fins team.

“Matt Sutton is coach of the Junior Black Fins and was named SLSNZ Coach of the Year at this year’s Awards of Excellence.

“Olivia Corrin (Midway) is vice-captain of the Junior Black Fins.

“Lauren and Michael Pickett (Waikanae) are in SLSNZ development teams, with Michael setting multiple records over the weekend. He, Olivia and Lauren were in the New Zealand invitational relays against the Australian teams.

“The under-16 mixed Waikanae team of Michael Pickett, Nathan Proctor, Brooke Willock and Edan Wilson also set records in their teams events.”

This district’s junior surf lifesavers — all under 14 — also made their mark with New Zealand records and podium finishes, Keepa said.

Athletes like Jack Keepa, who set an individual record in the u14 boys’ 50m rescue medley, and the Midway team of Jodiesha Kirkpatrick, Sophie Petro, Kassie Owen and Petiata Bowden, who set two national records, performed to a consistently high level.

“Jack, Jodiesha and Imogen Amor-Bendall went on to multiple individual podium finishes,” Sonia Keepa said.

“And many of our junior relay teams from all three clubs finished in the top three for their age groups.

“The surf lifesaving pool rescue discipline is alive and well in the Gisborne region, with a depth of talent coming right through from the youngest age group of under-11, inspired by the world-class champions we have in our home town.”

Personal bests, medals and recordsWainui sent a team of 14 to the pool champs, and team members came back from the three days of competition with personal-best times, medals and national records.

In Session 1, Jack Keepa won individual gold in the u14 boys’ 50m swim with fins and the 50m rescue medley, with a national record in the latter.

Amor-Bendall was a strong contender in the u13 girls’ events, earning bronze in the 50m brick carry and the 100m obstacle swim, and narrowly missing a medal in the 50m rescue medley.

In the junior teams events, Wainui u14 boys Keepa and Jamie Joblin put in a gutsy swim in the 100m patient tow to bring home the gold and narrowly miss setting a national record.

The Wainui u14 boys’ team of Keepa, Joblin, Jonty Evans and Brad Hill were third in the brick relay and in the rescue medley relay.

Wainui finished eighth overall in the junior part of the competition.

Sonia Keepa said it was great to see Black Fin and Wainui team member Laura Quilter swimming her “signature event”, the 50m manikin carry, placing second in the open women’s event.

Keepa, herself, won silver in the 50m swim with fins and bronze in the 100m obstacle swim in the masters’ division.

Peter Simmons swam in the masters’ division for the first time, while also officiating for the weekend alongside Sue Quilter.

The event could not be run without volunteer contributions like theirs, Sonia Keepa said.

Waikanae sent a nine-strong team to the champs, and they returned with five national titles, two New Zealand records, five individual medals and two team golds.

Michael Pickett won gold medals in the 200m obstacle race, 100m rescue medley and the 50m manikin carry, and bronze in the 50m swim with fins and the 100m manikin carry.

He then teamed up with Edan Wilson, Nathan Proctor and Brooke Willock to win gold in the 4×50m obstacle race and gold in the medley relay, setting national records in both races.

Waikanae juniors Kimberly Hayes and Hayley Durston showed promise with some top-10 finishes. They then stepped up to join Lily Sparks and Samantha Durston, getting sixth place in the u16 girls’ obstacle and medley relays.

Waikanae coach Cory Hutchings said the club took a small team to the champs this year and the overall performance was “very pleasing”.

“Michael (Pickett) swam very well to win three national titles,” he said.

“The two under-16 mixed relay teams swam incredibly well to win two national titles while setting two national records.

“It was great to see all three Gisborne clubs doing so well.”