Medals galore for Taupō para swimmer Cuda Tawhai

Cuda Tawhai, 14, won three medals including a gold at the New Zealand Secondary School Swimming Champs earlier this month. Photo / Liz Scott

It was a momentous weekend for para swimmer Cuda Tawhai in Wellington recently when he picked up a gold and two bronze medals.

The 14-year-old Taupō-nui-a-Tia College student was attending the New Zealand Secondary School Swimming Champs at the Wellington Regional Aquatic Centre in Kilbirnie alongside TaupōSwimming Club team mates from both Taupō-nui-a-Tia and Tauhara Colleges.

Cuda, who says he was nervous when it came time to stand on the podium, brought home a gold medal in the 50m breaststroke, bronze in 50m backstroke and bronze for 50m freestyle, all in the para multi-class division.

The young swimmer, who competes with an intellectual impairment classification, began swimming competitively when he was intermediate age. He was in his second year of attending the secondary schools championships.

However the medals were not Cuda's only awards this season.

He was named Para Swimmer of the Year at the Swimming Bay of Plenty Awards and Para Swimmer of the Year at Taupō Swimming Club's prize giving, as well as taking the award for 2017-2018 Most Improved Freestyle.

Cuda also took part in the Bay of Plenty Secondary School swimming sports as a athlete with disability, coming first in three of the four races. Sports Bay of Plenty awarded him first intermediate boys overall winner.

He qualified for and attended the New Zealand Short Course Championships and placed sixth in the 50m freestyle para multi class, and at the New Zealand Open Championships he was fifth in the 50m freestyle para multi class. He has also attended the New Zealand Special Olympics.

His next major meet is the New Zealand Short Course Championships next week in Auckland where he has qualified for both the 100m freestyle and 50m freestyle, but chosen only to race 50m freestyle.

As well as training in Taupō twice a week he also trains every Tuesday, Thursday and Friday at the Rotorua Aquatic Centre with Te Arawa Swimming, under the watchful eye of Coach Henk Greupink.

Cuda said freestyle is his strongest stroke, but his favourite is actually breaststroke because he likes the movement.

He likes training with his coach Henk, who he describes as "funny but tough".

"He makes me work hard all the time."

During the summer Cuda sometimes trains in the lake with his teacher aide Andrea Southgate and is working towards the 1km lake swim this year with help from Andrea and swim teacher Hillary Westerhoff.

He says he is also grateful for the support of Janet Bishop at Taupō-nui-a-Tia College and Johnson Bishop, another of Taupō's top young swimmers.

"He comes along sometimes and gives me tips."

Besides swimming, Cuda also competes in triathlon and is also working towards his Duke of Edinburgh Silver Award after recently being awarded his Bronze.

Cuda is the recipient of a Team Taupō Junior Sports Scholarship.