College sport: Robins, Rea judged tops

By JENNI RUTHERFORD

Look out world, two of Auckland's most promising young athletes are on a mission.

Schoolgirl swimming Olympian Monique Robins and world-ranked junior tennis player Simon Rea have been named young sportswoman and man of the year respectively at the ASB Bank awards.

Both have international aspirations. Auckland Grammar's Rea is aiming for the make-or-break professional tennis circuit and Robins, from Takapuna Grammar, who tasted the big time at the Sydney Olympics in swimming, is preparing for the Commonwealth Games in 2002 and the Olympic Games in Athens in four years.

Both have had to juggle their demanding schools studies.

Rea is sitting his Bursary English exam tomorrow and Robins is having to keep up with sixth-form assessments throughout the year.

Rea's year has been a blur of overseas tournaments and school commitments.

Appointed head prefect, the role added to his mounting responsibilities as he put pressure on himself to attend as many school events as possible.

He was so determined to do a good job that he was prepared to forgo his one chance at the junior Wimbledon championship to attend school events.

Auckland Grammar principal John Morris quickly quashed any thoughts Rea had of missing a chance of a lifetime.

"I told him not to be so stupid, and to go to Wimbledon," Morris said.

Rea, the New Zealand junior No 1 and 23rd-ranked junior in the world, finished in the top 16 at the junior tournament, a highlight of his year.

He also qualified for the junior United States Open, but was eliminated in the first round. However, he was spotted by talent scouts at the American tournament and will study next year at the University of Tennessee, which is ranked third in the US in tennis.

Seventeen-year-old Robins was a minnow in an Olympic-sized pool at the Sydney Games, but has come away determined not to flounder the next time she meets the likes of triple gold medallist Inge de Bruijn on the starting blocks.

While she failed to get past the first heats in the 100m freestyle and 100m backstroke events, her Olympic debut was enough to secure her the Auckland title ahead of other internationally seasoned young sportswomen.

The judges of the awards seem to have a knack of recognising future talent. Past winners include world champion discus thrower Beatrice Faumuina and All Black Jonah Lomu.

CRICKET

Gary Bradley and Cameron Jowitt dug King's College out of a deep hole with an unbroken fifth-wicket partnership of 185 runs as their team beat St Kentigern College by six wickets in the Auckand secondary schools premier cricket competition.

King's College were in big trouble at 39 for four chasing St Kentigern's 223, but Bradley's 107 and Jowitt's 64 were enough to see them through.

The win meant both shared the Auckland secondary schools title.

A solid effort from Takapuna Grammar School earned them promotion into the top division next year.

Takapuna's mammoth innings of 346 for three helped to set up a 10-wicket win over Rosmini College for the 1B title.

Kristin School have a 67-run lead after the first day of the two-day match against Glenfield College in the North Harbour secondary school senior premier final.

Kristin bowlers Tom McRae and James McCully destroyed the Glenfield batting line-up, taking four for nine and four for 13 as Glenfield were dismissed for 71.

Coming up:

* Today: Auckland: senior girls cricket.

* Tomorrow: Auckland intermediate and junior girls cricket.

* Friday to Sunday: North Island secondary schools junior volleyball.

* Saturday: Auckland boys premier and grade cricket. North Harbour: boys senior and junior cricket.

* Tuesday: Auckland junior cricket tournament begins, continuing until Thursday, November 30.