Young Katikati wrestlers clean up at champs

Quinn Clark wrestling for gold.

It was a big week last week for the Katikati Olympic Freestyle Wrestling Club.

After hosting the Oceania national training camp for two days, they held a celebratory dinner to mark 40 years as a club and the club running the North Island Wrestling Championships.

The local club took home a chuck of the medal tally from the championships, which saw more than 180 matches take place at Katikati College Action Centre.

Coach Ross Tanner says the competition was particularly intense as many athletes were preparing for the upcoming Oceania Championships.

“Katikati wrestlers were once again to the fore, particularly in the youngest age groups, where the Clark brothers, Ollie and Quinn, both took gold in their respective under-10 categories.

"In another family result, brothers Oscar and George Donaldson both placed second in their groups, which was an excellent result."

In the female divisions, Sapphire Cross took gold in the under-58-kilogram category and Kaylee Clark finished second in the under-61kg category.

Ben Tanner moved up to the under-80kg weight division after securing gold in the 71kg junior group and finished second in this category.

Miles Jonson was another to impress at these champs and finished a close second to a wrestler from Featherston. Nicholas Wall also wrestled well to finish fourth in his division.

In the senior division, Garth Amrien was beaten in the final of his weight group by ex-Katikati wrestler Sam Harrison.

“However, he showed excellent technique and strength to place second in the 74kg senior division. Raegan Mokaraka, competing in his first major tournament, showed admirable composure, and his jiu-jitsu background certainly held him in good stead. Tom Miranda, competing in the most heavily contested weight division, also wrestled well, and his fourth placing in the heavyweight division behind two international competitors was no disgrace.”

Ross says he’s particularly proud of his wrestlers.

The club was founded in 1983, and the celebratory dinner was a “fantastic opportunity to reminisce and take pride in the local achievements”, Ross says. More than 100 national champions have come from the club, and its members have also had numerous international achievements.