Our little Mihiroa Pauling (Ngāti Waewae, Ngāi Te Ruahikihiki) drew on some of her Puketeraki whakapapa to represent strongly at the South Island Junior Surf Lifesaving Championships held at Waikouaiti in late January.
Mihiroa took out four gold medals for U11 beach flags and sprints as well as U12 mixed beach relay and mixed Cameron Relay with her Waimairi club mates.
Her whanaunga Te Kaio Cranwell (nō Wairewa) who also picked up a handful of medals and competed against Wairaamia Taratoa-Bannister (nō te whānau Tikao) who also grabbed the silver in the U11 beach flags and sprints.
Although a tough step up, Mihiroa then headed to Mauao/Mount Maunganui to compete in ‘Oceans 15’ – the New Zealand Under 14 National Surf Lifesaving Champs at the end of February, which was held over four days with more than 800 young athletes competing from 42 clubs.
The sun was blinding, the competition fierce and the sand hot and soft. Mihiroa made the semis for her sprints and fought hard to take out a bronze medal in the U11 beach flags from an original field of almost 80 girls. This was an awesome achievement for her first time at nationals and against competitors some twice her size.
Mihiroa is now looking forward to the next season and going back to Oceans 16 with some of her Ngāi Tahu whanaunga competing by her side.
Mihiroa in action. Photo by Jamie Troughton of Dscribe Media Services.
Mihiroa with one of her gold medals.