Zespri AIMS Games 2022 wraps up with a trifecta in rugby sevens

The Zespri AIMS Games has wrapped up as the sun sets over the Bay Oval. Photo / Jamie Troughton, Dscribe Media Services

It was a trifecta of a finale at the Zespri AIMS Games 2022.

Te Puke, Tauranga, and Rotorua intermediate schools all made it to the rugby sevens finals at Blake Park.

As the rain came down - just as it did on day one of the 2022 intermediate-aged premier sporting tournament - the Rotorua girls played hard to win their match 12-10 against Tauranga.

This was just before the Rotorua boys made "history" in their first-ever final match against Te Puke.

Before each final, the players and supporters stood still and shared a moment of silence to honour the passing of Queen Elizabeth II.

The Rotorua Intermediate girls won their sevens competition. Photo / Alan Gibson, Gibson Images

The Rotorua girls' sevens coach Polly Playle said she felt "overwhelmed" after the win.

"It is so exciting. They have worked really hard over the past few weeks."

Playle said the team had a few injuries, including a sore back and a haematoma, but everyone pulled through.

"The final bit of excitement managed to shake off the niggles."

Playle, who was also celebrating her daughter Sachi's first birthday, said she had seen the girls' sevens game grow over the last few years.

Some of the girls from the team won the Under 13 finals in Queenstown last week and a couple won their junior club rugby tournament the night before the AIMS final.

"The girls are on such a high at the moment."

Rotorua Intermediate School's boys' rugby sevens team "made history" at this year's AIMS Games. Photo / Alan Gibson, Gibson Images

Despite losing their final against Te Puke, Rotorua Intermediate rugby sevens coach Rhys Hohepa said the boys' team "made history" at this year's AIMS Games.

"Rotorua has never placed this high," Hohepa said.

"We made the top four which was an achievement and then to make the finals was an even bigger achievement."

Hohepa said it was great to see Rotorua, Tauranga, and Te Puke make the top three in the finals.

"At the end of the day, we are all here to represent that Bay."

It was "phenomenal" to make it to the very end of the AIMS Games.

"It is a celebration of sport."

Te Puke Intermediate were the champions in the boys division. Photo / Alan Gibson, Gibson Images

It was an emotional win for Te Puke coach Aaron Sutherland, who led his team to victory in his first AIMS Games.

"We are ecstatic. Over the moon," Sutherland said.

Watching on as the Te Puke and Rotorua teams performed a haka after their game, Sutherland said he felt a huge sense of pride.

"They live for AIMS. They train hard all year to get here. They are just an awesome bunch of boys.

"They practise for these moments."

Sutherland said he had modest goals at his first AIMS Games as a coach.

"I was hoping to get to the top eight. But when we made it to the top four and then the final, it was just unbelievable."

Tournament director Kelly Schischka said the feedback from the code co-ordinators had been phenomenal.

"They've had kids, parents and officials coming up to them all week, telling them how amazing the tournament has been and how much they've enjoyed it," Schischka said.

"As tournament director, that's music to my ears.

"The competitors have been awesome and I'm so stoked they got the chance to be here and I'm so proud of what our team has been able to deliver, still in the midst of a global pandemic. It bodes really well for the future."

Nail-biting finish at squash finals

Bethlehem College's Vihan Chathury, 12. Photo / Alan Gibson / Gibson Images

It was a nail-biting boys' squash final at the AIMS Games.

But in the end, it was number one-ranked New Zealand Under 13 squash player Vihan Chathury who took the win against Zac Laing from Parua Bay School.

It was a tie-breaker match between the two and it was a win Chathury, 12, was after.

"It means a lot. The history of me and Zac is we have played twice. He has won one and I have won one."

It was Laing who took out the first round but Chathury fought back to win the final three rounds.

Chathury, from Bethlehem College, said he hoped to one day be ranked among the best in the world.

His parents Vishad and Hema Chathury said they were proud of their son for making it to the final.

Hema Chathury said Vihan was a "very chilled and relaxed" young man.

"He doesn't get angry. We are really proud he is doing well."

Vishad Chathury said his son had been playing squash for four years.

He said the AIMS Games reinforced and brought out the kids' joy in the game.

Tauranga Intermediate's Brooke Valois and Mikayla Carroll from Maungatapere School. Photo / Alan Gibson, Gibson Images

Brooke Valois is ranked number one in New Zealand in her age group for squash. She represents the Western Bay in tennis and also "loves cricket" and hockey.

Her mum said her daughter could pick up any racket, bat, or stick and be good at that sport.

It certainly seemed that way in her AIMS Games 2020 final against Mikayla Carroll from Maungatapere School on Thursday.

The 12-year-old won her three rounds and came off the court to high-fives and congratulations from her parents and AIMS teammates.

But the number-one New Zealand Under-13 champion was totally "chill" about it all.

Brooke's mum Ali Valois said her daughter was "very casual".

"She doesn't stress about anything really."

Ali Valois said Brooke had always been sporty and co-ordinated.

"I have never seen someone that age with that hand-eye co-ordination.

"Even in dancing when she was 2-years-old, she was the first one to skip."

Ali Valois said Brooke played representative tennis for Western Bay of Plenty - a game she started playing at age 4.

The Tauranga teen was also playing AIMS hockey and also loves cricket.

Ali Valois said she was grateful the AIMS Games had returned after a two-year hiatus.

"The Games gives these kids the experience of being part of a major tournament."

Brooke Valois said she started playing squash when she was about 9 because her older brothers did it.

It was her first AIMS Games, she said. "It is a really cool experience."

She even smashed her goal, which was "to win".

"One day I want to play squash in Egypt... that is where the best players come from."

Squash co-ordinator Ross McCurran said there were more than 100 squash matches played during the week.

McCurran said despite numbers being down on the 2019 Games, there was still plenty of spirit.

"It has been competitive. The whole spirit of it has been great."

He said some players were literally throwing their bodies on the line just like New Zealand professional squash player Paul Coll.

"Paul Coll is known as Superman, he dives around. Some of the kids have been emulating that."

Tauranga Intermediate School squash coach and Te Puke Squash Club and district coach Graeme Randolph said the AIMS Games were "critical" for growing kids' involvement in sport.

Seeing double at the AIMS

It was like seeing double at the AIMS Games table tennis finals when twins Ruby and Lou Reilly took to the court.

The 12-year-old Mount Maunganui Intermediate twins played in the bronze table tennis finals with their teammate Izzy Steele.

Mount Maunganui Intermediate table tennis twins Ruby and Lou Reilly, 12. Photo / Zoe Hunter

There are 25 sets of twins across the 23 sporting codes at the AIMS Games this year.

The twins said they had a table tennis table at home to hone their skills and had only just started playing well this year. So they decided to enter their first AIMS Games.

Lou Reilly said it was "very exciting" to be playing in the bronze final.

"You could feel the pressure. It was a very close game but Otumoetai deserved to win."

Ruby Reilly, who won her singles round, said it was fun playing with her sister.

"It is almost like we play in sync. We practice at home together and we know how we play."

The twins said they had enjoyed their AIMS Games experience and it had helped them improve their game.

"It is much more competitive. It was good we came this far," said Ruby Reilly.

Former champ watches on

As dozens of golfers prepared to tee off in the 2022 AIMS Games, a former champion was watching on.

Carson Van Asselt won the team golf competition in his debut at the 2015 AIMS Games with his brother Tyler.

Carson Van Asselt, 18, won the team golf competition in his debut at the 2015 AIMS Games. Photo / AIMS Games Media

This week, the now-18-year-old trainee professional has been cheering on this year's AIMS athletes.

Van Asselt said the week-long intermediate-age competition was a great start to tournament golf.

"It puts you in a competitive environment and it is a great way to meet people all over New Zealand."

His advice to this year's athletes was: "Make the most of the opportunity".

"Learn as much as you can from it. Use it to your advantage."

AIMS Games golf co-ordinator Mike Campbell said there were 85 18-hole golfers and 16 nine-hole golfers.

"For a lot of them, it is probably their first exposure to competitive golf. But they have fun first and foremost."

Campbell said the Games were also good exposure because athletes played at Omanu, Te Puke, Tauranga and Mount Maunganui golf clubs.

"It is a great showcase of our Western Bay clubs."