That’s a wrap on the 2026 Zespri AIMS Games — and what a week for Aquinas!
Across 23 sports, our students competed against some of the best intermediate-aged athletes and performers from around the country. There were wins, losses, close finishes, comebacks, podium results and plenty of AC pride along the way.
Our students brought home 12 medals, reaching the podium in cross country, swimming, gymnastics, surfing, table tennis and indoor bowls. Along the way, they achieved Aquinas’ best-ever AIMS results in several sports, including boys basketball, girls football and netball.
From the courts and fields to the pool, stage and surf, our students repped the green and gold the AC Way — with sportsmanship, determination and pride. Congratulations to all our students, and our heartfelt thanks to the coaches, managers and parents who supported them throughout the week. 👏
Here’s a recap of how our athletes performed in each sport.
Aerobics – By Reporters Alex Adsett and Heidi Opie
Aquinas gave Aerobics a go this year for the first time ever and finished fourth, narrowly missing out on bronze. A fantastic debut!
Teams had to perform a 1:30 aerobic routine featuring five compulsory moves. The six-girl AC team gave a fun and high-energy routine and missed out on bronze by just 0.1 points.
Coach Sarah Gardner said the Aquinas performance was really good and they nailed the compulsory skills! Great work team!
Badminton – Our badminton students gave it their best at AIMS, with many competing as beginners and gaining plenty of valuable teachable moments through both singles and doubles. Students were encouraged to show manaakitanga by supporting and encouraging one another throughout the competition. Special mention to Jacob Lim (Yr 7), who progressed to the quarter-finals in the Division 1 boys singles.
Boys Basketball – Our lads achieved AC’s highest-ever placing in 5-a-side basketball at AIMS, finishing an impressive 15th of 84 teams! The team topped their pool, progressed into the Top 32, then the Top 16 Premiership round — the furthest an AC team has ever progressed.
Cross Country – Our runners got the AC AIMS campaign off to a cracking start, winning two gold medals on Day 2. Cruz Champness won gold in the Y7 boys race, and Delilah Twentyman, Lulu Fougere, and Summer Champness won gold in the Y7 girls team event. AC also entered the 12km relay and finished fifth!
Golf – After making a run at the leaderboard, Year 7’s Noel Kim finished sixth in the girls Division 1 competition, and seventh overall. A fantastic result in an incredibly competitive field. James Taylor (Yr 7) made up three places to place 14th in the boys Div. 1 event. The Aquinas team finished fourth overall, a great result for our first time at AIMS.
Girls Football – The team had a spectacular AIMS tournament, climbing to eighth place on the leaderboard – the highest result for our school. Even more impressive, the team had played together just six times before AIMS.
Gymnastics – Zoe Gardner (Yr 7) won gold in the girls open tumbling, beating a field of 50 competitors to claim the top spot. She backed that up with an impressive fourth overall in the Step 6 all-around, including first on floor and second on bars. Lucy Byrne (Yr 7) finished an impressive 10th in the tumbling.
Boys Football – A 2-1 win over local rivals Pāpāmoa on the last day of competition saw our boys finish 37th out of 69 teams at AIMS. That’s 14 places higher than last year — a fantastic step forward for the team!
Futsal – The boys powered through an action-packed 8-game week. A highlight came in the semi-final against Pāpāmoa College, where a last-second tie forced a nerve-wracking penalty shoot-out. Thanks to sharp shooting and a clutch goalie save, AC secured a legendary victory to cap off an unforgettable week.
Hip Hop – Our girls had a big night of dancing, taking to the stage against 48 schools. The AC crew was amazing and held their own against some massive schools from all around NZ. The girls finished a respectable 31st; however, between the top and bottom 10, there wasn’t too much difference!
Hockey – 6th out of 57 teams. The team finished sixth out of 57 teams, exceeding expectations and giving us plenty to celebrate. They secured an impressive six wins from nine games and a place in the Top 8.
Indoor Bowls – Delivered a record-breaking three bronze medals. Isaac Francis (Yr 7) won bronze in the singles, then teamed up with brother Mikey to claim bronze in the pairs. Aquinas then finished third overall.
Netball – Our girls finished 20th of 132 teams – the best result for Aquinas netballers at AIMS. After convincingly winning their pool play, the team lost just three of 10 games, including to local foes Tauranga Intermediate and Pāpāmoa College. AC placed 73rd last year!
Orienteering – Our students took on a pair of gruelling courses at McLaren Falls, displaying impressive precision and resilience across both the sprint and rogaine events. Elizabeth Clarke (Yr 7) led the charge in the sprint with a standout 28th-place finish out of 61 competitors after a clean run through a tough course. The momentum continued in the rogaine, highlighted by top-10 division finishes from the teams of Hudson Van Etten and Teyla Green (both Yr 8), and Year 7 team Emily Ah Chee and Livie Walker (10th).
Rip Rugby – Guided by our fantastic parent coaches, the team showed incredible cohesion and spirit through every single match. While the tournament brought a mix of results on the scoreboard, the players left with invaluable lessons, lasting memories, and plenty of fun under their belts.
Rugby Sevens – A tough tournament for the team, facing some massive opponents over the week. The boys showed incredible grit and perseverance, and celebrated with two wins at the end of the competition.
Rock Climbing – Ivie Pfab (Yr 7) represented our school on the wall at AIMS Games, taking on tough competition with great resilience.
Squash – Yuhwan Kim (Yr 8), Savannah Jennings and Tukorehu Daniels (both Yr 7) represented our school in squash, bringing home mixed results on the court but invaluable growth, resilience, and learning experiences. Beyond the individual matches, they experienced the incredible energy and spirit of the AIMS Games.
Surfing – Sieni Ryan won silver in the Year 7 girls’ surfing final in challenging conditions! It is Aquinas’ first-ever AIMS medal in surfing.
Swimming – McKenna Hills (Yr 8) powered her way to four medals: 100m backstroke gold, silver in the 200m freestyle and 50m backstroke, and bronze in the 100m free. She had seven top-5 finishes, seven PBs, and the BOP’s only gold medal. Our girls relay team performed exceptionally, claiming fourth and sixth placings.
Table Tennis – Melchi Lukacs and Jess Radley (Yr 8) battled through the opening rounds of the girls doubles competition to earn a spot in the gold-medal match and win silver. An AC first!
Tennis – Well done to Bowen Xue (Yr 7), our sole tennis representative. Over the week, he won two of five games against some of the best tennis players across the country!
Water Polo – After some tough opening games in pool play, the mixed water polo team went on to win the next four games, including a 13-nil win over locals Otūmoetai Intermediate. To end the week, they beat JPC 9-3. The team faced tough competition in the Open Division, playing against some all-boys teams.
