Article added: Tuesday 10 September 2024

By Jordan Sing

Some young Kiwi athletes have gone to extreme lengths – literally – to get to the Zespri AIMS Games in Tauranga this year.

From the far north, to the deep south. From the east coast, to the west. Across the Cook Strait, and over the South Pacific.

There are 25 schools from Northland, two from Southland, one from Otago, and 18 from Canterbury. There are nine schools from the Tairāwhiti region, 18 from Hawke's Bay, and 18 from Taranaki.

The team from Pukenui School up north, who hope to tear it up in rip rugby, endured a 600km, 10-hour car ride to get to the AIMS Games this year.

The girls from St Peter’s College in Gore, who will shoot their shot in 5-a-side basketball, have travelled even further – 1500 kilometres, over two flights, taking eight hours in total.

And don’t forget the international teams – there are six schools from the Cook Islands, and two from Fiji.

This kind of mammoth effort – made possible by schools, families, and sometimes whole communities – shows just how much this event has come to mean.

The Zespri AIMS Games is an annual week-long sports tournament for intermediate-aged students.

It has been 20 years since the first ever AIMS Games and this year there are nearly 13,000 athletes competing – more than the Paris 2024 Olympics.

A record 395 schools have entered across the 27 sporting codes.

Some of the Pukenui students are first timers while others are veterans, here for round two.

Ringakaha Karena-Ward, one such veteran, claims he was “born to run, but forced to pass”.

The Pukenui team is set to play just six games before playoffs start on Wednesday so Ringakaha and his teammates have plenty of time to run, swim and have fun outside the competition. 

“The event took a lot of effort and fundraising,” coach Doug Yerkovich said.

A Pukenui supporter at the rip rugby marvelled at the sport and the great referees. “It’s such a great non-violent sport. They’re like gazelles!”

Just a short drive from the green rip rugby fields at Bay Oval, the girls basketball team from St Peter’s College are taking the court at Mercury Baypark Arena.

“Don't hold back, it's a great opportunity,” Mia Wilkins said through laboured breaths following her team’s first game. 

The girls are lucky enough to have former Silver Fern and Tall Fern, Donna Wilkins, coaching them. Without giving away trade secrets, Veriti Dynes said their main takeaway from Donna is to “run the lanes”.

After each of their first games and despite the bright red faces, neither St Peter's nor Pukenui could contain their excitement.

“It’s a thrilling and exciting experience,” Joanna Valera from St Peter’s College said.

“Experience of a lifetime,” schoolmate Pippa Bensemann added.

Meanwhile, Pukenui student Kruz Thomas summed it up like this: “Triple A!”

Athletes, coaches and fans alike are looking forward to more sun, smiles and shenanigans as the AIMS Games continues.