Winning the New Zealand title in his age group at the national wrestling championships in Dunedin last month capped off a hugely successful year for Featherston's Adam Saunders. It followed similar success for him at the New Zealand secondary school championships, the New Zealand club championships and the North Island agegroup championships. Earlier in the year Saunders represented New Zealand schools at the "Down Under" championships in Australia. Other members of the Featherston Wrestling Club in Teina Hullena, Quentin McKenna and Dylan Chatfield also starred at the Dunedin event. Hullena won a silver medal in his division after having already picked up a silver at the national club champs and a gold at the North Island age groups. McKenna and Chatfield both won gold at the national champs in the under-13 grades, McKenna being a class above his rivals and Chatfield coming from behind in the final to secure victory. The success of the Featherston wrestlers was due in large part to the tuition of rookie coach Jeremy Sargent, who looks to have an excellent future in that role.
