Growth in opportunities

FOCUS: Marea Harding, right, of Waikirikiri, is a picture of concentration as she competes in the backstroke. Pictures by Paul Rickard

SWIMMING

YEAR 7 and 8 pupils from Tairawhiti schools will have more opportunities to meet and compete against each other this year.

A programme designed for them started with swimming sports at the Olympic Pool in Gisborne last week and is expected to pick up momentum as interschool gatherings for other sports run through the year.

Netball, table tennis, ki o rahi, non-stop cricket, dodgeball and cross-country are among the sports on the calendar.

Although Gisborne and Ilminster intermediate schools do not lack sporting opportunities, it hasn’t quite been the same for kura kaupapa or in the country and coast areas of Tairawhiti.

Tessa Rangihuna, who co-ordinates and teaches sports at Te Kura Kaupapa Maori o Nga Uri a Maui, is one of those leading the drive to change that.

“I had noticed for a while that there is very little interschool local competition for the intermediate age groups,” Rangihuna said.

She approached Phil Robinson from Sport Gisborne Tairawhiti about setting up a framework similar to that operating for primary schools that end at Year 6.

Robinson, Rangihuna and a few of the kura met in 2018 to discuss their concerns and set up a local competition for all.

“I imagine there will be a few hiccups along the way but the teachers and principals involved are passionate about creating these sporting opportunities for this age group,” Rangihuna said.

“Our next kaupapa for this age group will be waka ama, which will be held in the last week of the term.”

The schools taking part in the swimming sports were Mangatuna, Te Karaka, Te Kura Reo Rua o Waikirikiri, Kaiti, Nga Uri a Maui, Whatatutu, Sonrise and Waerenga o Kuri.

Waerenga o Kuri won the school relay, Kaiti were second and Nga Uri a Maui third.

Kaiti accumulated the most points on the day, Waerenga o Kuri were second and Sonrise third.

Individual results —

Year 7, girls: Natalie Johnson (Waerenga o Kuri) 1, Tamara Tulia-Levy (Sonrise) 2, Te Akauroa Davis (Kaiti) 3. Boys: Kyan Ayton (Kaiti) 1, Jonario Edwards (Kaiti) 2, Nevaryn Renata (Year 6) (Nga Uri a Maui) 3.

Year 8, girls: Erica Butt (Waerenga o Kuri) 1, Amy Pardoe (Waerenga o Kuri) 2, Lily Wilson (Kaiti) 3. Boys: Noah McCabe-Mahani (Kaiti) 1, Wiremu Ropiha (Kaiti) 2, Nikau Rudge (Sonrise) 3.