Rotorua schools scoop eight medals

HE'S OFF: Rotorua Intermediate player Rayna Whakaari in action for his school team which grabbed a silver medal at the AIMS Games in Tauranga this week. PHOTO/JAMIE TROUGHTON/DSCRIBE MEDIA SERVICES 120914RUN

Rotorua schools have picked up eight medals at the AIMS Games - New Zealand's largest intermediate-aged sporting festival.

Seven local teams and athletes stood on the podium at the school event in Tauranga this week, which attracted 7500 intermediate students across 17 sporting codes.

Young tennis player Nick Beamish (Rotorua Intermediate) was the only Rotorua athlete to secure a gold medal. Other local athletes and teams also won medals in the pool, on the basketball court and on the rugby league field.

The Te Kura O Te Koutu girls' basketball team, who have made a name for themselves during the last few years, secured a silver medal yesterday on the final day of competition.

They lost to Takapuna Normal Intermediate in the final 53-26. Rotorua Intermediate and Kaitao Middle School fought out the bronze medal match, with Rotorua Intermediate winning 45-23.

Meanwhile, in the pool, Bianca Donelley (Chapman College) and James Baldwin (Rotorua Intermediate) both won two medals apiece.

Bianca won two silvers in the 10-11 girls 100m freestyle and 200m freestyle. James also favoured the freestyle events winning the 12-13 boys 100m and 50m events.

Swim Rotorua coach Alastair Johnson said the two swimmers were having great seasons in the pool.

"Both athletes have made very good progress this season. Both of them have recently broken Bay of Plenty age-group records, so were in great form leading into the AIMS Games event."

Rotorua Intermediate made a big impression on the rugby league field finishing second out of 18 teams, losing a tight final 12-6 to Hastings Intermediate yesterday.

Rotorua Intermediate rugby league manager, and school teacher, Amanda Kelly said they were rapt with the silver medal. "We are so proud of our boys and the achievements they made. They ended up playing 15 games [this week] and we only lost to Hastings."

She said the school team had started preparing last term to be ready for the AIMS Games. She said the final yesterday was a great match, which was tied 6-6 at half time.

"Hastings were an awesome team, they really brought it to us. The opinion over there was that the two best teams made the final."

Kelly said this was the first time they had made the final at the big AIMS Games tournament. The format of the rugby league competition was a nines tournament played on a full field, with nine-minute halves. Three boys were named in the tournament team, including Kalani Wharerua, Kahlil Aldworth-Bidois and Rayna Whakaari.

When asked if the boys were tired- out after the week-long tournament, Kelly laughed and said the boys were kicking around a ball with plenty of energy after returning to Rotorua yesterday.

Rotorua schools on the podium at the AIMS Games:
¦ Gold medals:
Nick Beamish (tennis) Rotorua Intermediate.
¦ Silver medals:
Rotorua Intermediate rugby league team, Te Kura O Te Koutu girls' basketball team, Bianca Donelley (swimming 100m freestyle and 200m freestyle) Chapman College, James Baldwin (swimming 100m freestyle) Rotorua Intermediate.
¦ Bronze medals:
Rotorua Intermediate girls' basketball team, James Baldwin (swimming 50m freestyle).