Maori sporting success on show

TAIRAWHITI TAONGA: One of the original awards from 1994, for Maori sports team of the year. Picture supplied

From waka ama to CrossFit — sporting success will be celebrated at the Tairawhiti Maori Sports Awards this weekend.

The judging panel have evaluated the nominations and are ready to announce the winners and runners-up of each category at Te Poho o Rawiri Marae in Gisborne on Saturday.

The junior categories look to be the hardest to pick.

Three gold medal-winning waka ama crews are the finalists for junior team of the year — Horouta Puhi Kaiariki, Mareikura Nga Tama Taniwha and Mareikura Wacky Waka.

The Puhi Kaiariki J16 women’s team won gold in the W6 500 metres and W6 1000m at the Va’a World Sprint Championships in Tahiti in August last year.

The Taniwha were the national J16 men’s W12 500m sprint champions this year at Lake Karapiro.

The Wacky Waka crew clinched gold in the midget girls’ W6 250 and W12 250 finals at the same event.

Gabreill Wainohu, Rangi-Riana Williams and Kelsey Teneti — all of them waka ama paddlers — are finalists in the junior sportswoman category.

The multi-talented Teneti also plays rugby and hockey.

The junior sportsman finalists are weightlifter and CrossFit athlete Tuteari Te Rauna-Lamont, waka ama paddler and rugby player Anaru Paenga-Morgan and rugby league and basketball player Keanu Wainohu.

Other categories include coach of the year, administrator, senior sports team, sportsman, sportswoman and junior emerging talent.

Winners of the Eastland Community Trust Maori Sports Awards can be considered for nomination for the National Maori Sports Awards and the Bronwyn Kay Sporting Excellence Awards in Gisborne in November.

Previously known as the Turanganui a Kiwa Maori Sports Awards, the annual event was first held in 1994 and was the first regional Maori sports awards event to be held in the country.

The awards are designed to acknowledge athletes and sportspeople in the region, as well as helping the next generation of sporting talent.

Organising committee chairwoman Athena Beverly said the goal was “to ensure that Maori athletes from this region can have access to the same opportunities as top New Zealand athletes do”.

The awards are supported by E Tu Whanau, Rongowhakaata Iwi Trust, Ease Up Tairawhiti, Sport Gisborne Tairawhiti, Turanga Health and Turanga Ararau.

The organising committee for the awards includes representation from Te Runanga o Turanganui a Kiwa, Tamanuhiri Tutu Poroporo Trust, Rongowhakaata Iwi Trust, Te Runanganui o Ngati Porou and Te Aitanga a Mahaki.

For more information about tickets, contact Kristi Brown on ktupara@hotmail.co.nz