Hawke's Bay athletes dominate at 2021 Halberg Games

Napier's Liv Fountain did the region proud at the Halberg Games. Photo / Andrew Cornaga

Hawke's Bay athletes shone at the 2021 Halberg Games, walking away with the Huddleston and Jennings Cup for Best Regional Team.

The Hawke's Bay team had 17 athletes registered for the game, from Friday to Sunday, which saw almost 200 athletes representing 13 regional teams.

Liv Fountain, 15, from Napier won the Invacare Moment of the Games Award for her perseverance in finishing the 100m race, and Halberg Youth Councillor Guy Harrison excelled in several sporting codes, winning him the swimming classified (male), table tennis senior division and nine-hole golf tournament awards.

She completed her 100m race in 78.29 seconds and 50m race in 36.39 seconds.

Team Hawke's Bay at the Halberg Games. Photo / Supplied

Harrison became a Halberg Youth Council member in 2019, joining 10 young leaders from around the country representing the voices of physically disabled young people.

Hosted by the Halberg Foundation, the 2021 Halberg Games had a record number of athletes, with 195 representing 13 teams.

Halberg Youth Council members played key roles in the ceremony, including Thomas Chin, who blessed the event with a karakia, and Harrison who read the athlete oath and lit the official Games flame.

Halberg Foundation chief executive Shelley McMeeken, ISPS Handa Ambassadors Richie McCaw and Dan Carter, Grant Robertson, Halberg Games Ambassador Paula Tesoriero and youth councillors at the Halberg Games. Photo / Supplied

Rugby legends and ISPS Handa Ambassadors Richie McCaw ONZ and Dan Carter ONZM joined in the celebrations at the opening ceremony.

Athletes competed from Northland, Auckland, Waikato, Bay of Plenty, Gisborne, Hawke's Bay, Taranaki, Manawatū, Dsport, Tasman, Canterbury, South Canterbury and Otago/Southland with the support of their local Parafeds and Halberg Advisers.

The Halberg Games is a three-day national sports competition open to 8- to 21-year-olds with a physical or visual impairment.