Local Focus: Dream come true for Gisborne boxer Tawhiri Toheriri-Hallet

Tawhiri Toheriri-Hallet was 13 when he first started boxing after a friend encouraged him to give it a go.

Little did he know, walking into Gisborne City Hit Pit Boxing Club was the beginning of a journey beyond his wildest dreams.

Head coach James Kahukoti recalls Toheriri-Hallet lost quite a few fights when he first started. However, he never gave up.

"He was so resilient. He just wanted to keep training and bettering himself," Kahukoti said.

After seeing New Zealand boxer David Nyika win his gold medal at the 2018 Commonwealth Games, Toheriri-Hallet began to dream big.

"I said, one day I want to go to the Commonwealth Games and represent my people and my coaches on the world stage."

Toheriri-Hallet was determined to keep his eye on that prize, relentlessly pursuing his goals and dreams. While his friends were going to parties, he was in the gym with Kahukoti and the team, for up to 4 hours a day.

"I saw that commitment, he had a plan and a goal," Kahukoti said.

After nine years of blood, sweat, and tears, all those sacrifices have paid off.

Kahukoti was ecstatic when he got a call from Toheriri-Hallet.

"It was a real special moment when he called me and said that he made it into the Commonwealth team."

Toheriri-Hallet will be representing the Cook Islands at this year's Commonwealth Games in Birmingham.

Toheriri-Hallet was born and raised in New Zealand, but representing his Cook Islands heritage is a huge honour.

One of Toheriri-Hallet's inspirations is his grandmother, who is Rarotongan. He sees this as an opportunity to connect with his Polynesian heritage.

"I couldn't be more grateful to the people of the Cook Islands for giving me this opportunity to represent them on the world stage," he said.

"It's bigger than going to the Commonwealth Games, for my family to discover a part of our identity that's been missing, that's the biggest reward."

Right at the heart of his success, is the unbreakable bond he shares with his coach, Kahukoti. A bond that extends far beyond the ring.

Toheriri-Hallet said growing up without a father figure in the home was tough, but meeting Kahukoti changed his life.

"He treated me like his own son. He's my mentor and role model, someone I look up to and aspire to be like one day."

Kahukoti sees Toheriri-Hallet the same way.

"His mum, she was mum and dad," he said. "And I grew up the same, you know, I never had a dad at all.

"Tawh, he just fitted into my family. Became a son to me, became a brother to my children. He was just there all the time."

Toheriri-Hallet moved to Auckland just under two years ago, finding his home away from home at Mayhem Boxing in Valley Rd, Mt Eden.

His coach at Mayhem, Terrence Reid-Batchelor, and the team remind him of the team family environment he had in Gisborne.

"Everyone supporting each other, everyone encouraging each other, and everyone wanting the best for each other," Toheriri-Hallet said.

Mayhem has two other boxers going to the Commonwealth Games, Troy Garton and Uila Mau'u, in the New Zealand team.

This week, Toheriri-Hallet will head to Sheffield to train with the British boxing team, before heading to Birmingham to meet the rest of the Cook Islands team.

But before leaving he took a trip to Gisborne to see family.

"We were talking about his trip coming up," Kahukoti said.

"Told him how much I loved him. I'm so proud of him, you know."