Sports Shorts

Aquinas Athletes Shine at Nationals

Four Aquinas athletes held their own among the country’s best track and field competitors last week, with Harrison McGregor winning two silver medals. 

Holly Fausett (Y10), Harrison (Y13), and brothers Callum and Hamish Murray (Yrs 12 and 11) competed at the 2022 NZ Track and Field Championships in Hastings, having won selection to the Waikato-BOP team. All four were in the U18 section, competing against entrants several years older.

Harrison won silver medals in the U18 shot put and the U18 discus competition. In the discus, he was in first place for five rounds but was pipped for gold in the sixth and final round. A remarkable achievement for the smallest entrant in the field! 

Holly finished an impressive fifth in the U18 300m hurdles and eighth in the U18 800m, running PBs in both. Her team also placed fifth in the 4x400m relay. Impressive results given that Holly is just 14.

Callum and Hamish Murray also did well among the country’s top U18 runners, finishing fifth and 13th respectively in the 800m. In the 1500m, Callum ran a PB to place an impressive fifth out of 31 runners while Hamish, who is just 14, came in at 23rd place. Callum is 16. Inspiring results, well done!

Y10 Student Marks a Mark on Women’s Mountain Bike Scene

Eliana Hulsebosch is NZ’s third-fastest U17 downhill mountain biker, notching up yet another podium finish in her fast-moving racing career. The Y10 student clinched third place at NZ’s Mountain Bike Nationals in Christchurch last month despite being one of the youngest riders, aged just 14. Eliana’s performance elevated her to seventh place in the overall women’s standings. 

Her success comes after four podium finishes in the past month as part of the 2022 Mountain Bike NZ National Downhill Series. She placed second in the Rotorua, Dome Valley and Nelson rounds, and third at Coronet Peak. 

Not content to spin her wheels, Eliana will soon race in an endurance race in Dunedin. Best of luck Eliana!

Davis Wins NZ Cheerleading Selection Again

Congratulations to Y11 student Parnell Davis for winning selection to NZ’s top cheerleading team for the second year in a row. 

Aged just 14, Parnell has been traveling to Auckland three or four nights a week to train for the World Cheerleading Championships in Orlando, USA next month. However, in a repeat of 2021, NZ has pulled out of the event because of the COVID pandemic. Parnell, who was going to be competing in two teams, was also in the unlucky 2021 NZ squad sidelined because of COVID. 

Instead of Orlando, Parnell and her 24-member squad now have their sights set on a competition in Australia later this year. Members range from 13-25 years in age, with Parnell one of the youngest members on the squad. She is now traveling to Auckland just twice a week to train, returning around midnight. Impressive dedication!

Rowers Eye Podium

Best of luck to the squad of Aquinas rowers poised to compete in the North Island Secondary School Championships at Lake Karapiro this weekend. Y13 rowers Anton Bernard and Scott Clark go into the regatta with a podium finish already under their belt. They clinched third place in the U18 pair of the Aon Junior Regatta at Lake Karapiro last month. That meet was the first regatta for the school’s novice girls. 

Cricketers On Form

A shout out to AC’s seven cricket teams and their recent run of impressive form. The Girls’ 1st XI recently had a great win against Mount Maunganui CC. Milli Banbury, the squad’s newest member, batted well and made four runs not out in her debut game. And fingers crossed for the Boys’ 1st X1 which plays Katikati College next week in the BOP qualifying finals for the Gillette Cup.