College sport: Rangitikei College

Christian has been weightlifting for just over a year and has improved a considerable amount in that time. Photo / supplied

Rangitikei College

2020 has been a hard year for sport in schools. Although our numbers have been down in terms of participants and spectators, enthusiasm hasn't suffered.

We have recently hired a new sport and recreation director to help set a strategic direction to ensure we rebound from the impact of Covid-19 on our sports teams bigger and better than ever.

We are really proud of our akonga for persevering this year and really look forward to growing our numbers and our opportunities next year. A special shout out to two of our coaches, Andre Aukes and Shane Gunn, for their aroha and patience coaching hockey and football teams this year. The remainder of our teams have been coached by staff, and we are appreciative of their time commitment as well.

We have recently held our sports prizegiving and wish to highlight the following performances.

OVERALL CHAMPIONS

Athletics

Junior Girls - Alisia Stoian
Junior Boys - V'Chay Hemopo
Intermediate Girls -Bonneville Forward
Intermediate Boys - Makesi Tulemau
Senior Girls - Stacy Cooper
Senior Boys - Luka Leupolu

Cross Country

Junior Girls - Jessica Sutton
Junior Boys - V'Chay Hemopo
Intermediate Girls - Bonneville Forward
Intermediate Boys - Jordan Hughes
Senior Girls - Charlotte Simpson
Senior Boys - Eseese Vaafusuaga

Swimming

Junior Girls - Lara Watson
Junior Boys - Murphy Gunn
Intermediate Girls - Erin Wigglesworth
Intermediate Boys - Mason Davey
Senior Girls - Shardae McKenzie
Senior Boys - Ethan Watson

Christian Folau

Christian has been weightlifting for just over a year and has improved a considerable amount in that time. Photo / supplied

Christian has been weightlifting for just over a year and has improved a considerable amount in that time. Last year he was lifting 116kg while weighing in at 112kg.

After a year of working on his technique and refining his diet, he pulled off an awesome combined 220kg at the recent Regional Secondary Schools Weightlifting.

This placed him 2nd overall in NZ in the male 102kg+ category. This is a great achievement, considering he had slimmed down to 103kg in the process. He has also been helping to run our own weightlifting club, getting a group of students stronger and working on their knowledge of technique and nutrition in the process.

This has meant that weightlifting will hopefully continue in the school after Chrisitan leaves us.

We are really proud of Christian and everything he has achieved and seeing him receive his medal was a huge highlight for the year.