Swimming: Rio hopeful centre stage

TRIPLE DELIGHT: Bobbi Gichard during one of three trips to the stage last night. PHOTO/PAUL TAYLOR

Posting three personal bests at international and national swimming meets is a regular occurrence for Hawke's Bay swimmer Bobbi Gichard.

Last night the Napier Girls' High School year 11 student collected three awards including the supreme award at the Westpac Hawke's Bay Secondary School Sports Awards in Napier's Municipal Theatre. Before the premier award, Gichard collected the female award and she became the inaugural recipient of a $2000 Jarrod Cunningham Trust Stars Secondary Schools scholarship.

"I knew I had a chance with two of them but the scholarship was a surprise on a fun night. It's going to help me in a lot of ways particularly with uniforms and travel," Gichard said afterwards.

The Greendale club member flew from her Auckland training base to attend the function. A lot of her schooling is done by correspondence while she trains in Auckland.

"The next time I'm home it will be for exams at the end of the month and the next time after that it will be for Christmas. Those are the sacrifices I need to make if I'm going to achieve the big goal," Gichard said, referring to the Rio Olympics which have been her target since her intermediate school days.

A New Zealand Open and age group champion in both the 100m and 200m backstroke events, Gichard, 15, had a memorable year on the international stage.

She is ranked among the world's top 20 open female backstrokers and 0.002s off qualifying for Rio.

The youngest Kiwi female to qualify for the World Open Champs in Kazan, Russia, Gichard, was 16th in the 200m, 17th in the 100m and 16th in the 50m backstroke with personal best times in all events.

At the Junior World Champs, for swimmers 19 and under, in Singapore, Gichard, won bronze in the 100m backstroke with a national record time and posted fourth placings in the 50 and 200m all in personal best times. At the Youth Commonwealth Games in Samoa, where she was the New Zealand flag bearer, Gichard won golds with New Zealand record times in both the 100m and 200m and silver in the 50m, all in personal best times.

All Blacks Sevens star Gillies Kaka and Blues and Hawke's Bay Magpies player Ihaia West were last night's guest speakers. Both stressed the importance of their family networks and having good people around as keys to success.

Like Gichard, Kaka is also targeting Rio. He has no qualms with All Blacks like Liam Messam and Sonny Bill Williams making bids for the All Blacks Sevens Rio squad and said they wil bring more professionalism into the Sevens camp.

In his farewell speech, outgoing Hawke's Bay Secondary Schools Sport Management Committee chairman and Napier Boys' High School principal Ross Brown encouraged last night's award winners to come back to the Bay and give back once they have achieved their dreams at international level.

WINNERS AND FINALISTS:

-Student contribution: Winner, Georgia Trent (netball). Finalists, Abigail Hussey (triathlon), Jez Reeves (hockey), Olivia Campbell (hockey).

-Official: Winner, Logan Gill (hockey). Finalists, Jason Thoreson (basketball), Ippei Ninomiya (football), Kelly Ives (netball).

-Coach: Winner, Steve Armon (orienteering). Finalists, Derek Morrison (orienteering), Pauline Edwards (adventure racing), Sheila Smidt (athletics), Robert Morgan (football/cricket).

-Team: Winner, Havelock North High School junior girls orienteering. Finalists, Napier Girls' High School sailing, Taradale High School Hillary Challenge, Napier Boys' High School orienteering, Hastings Boys' High School basketball.

-Service: Grant Gilbert (rugby, cricket, athletics), Rick Ellis (rugby and cricket), Del Whyte (rugby), Peter McGlashen (football), David Tait (Kiwi Aventure Trust).

-Disabled sportsperson: Winner, Kate McKelvie (swimming). Finalists, Guy Harrison (athletics, triathlon, swimming, golf), Nesta Rei (taekwondo).

-Female sportsperson: Winner, Bobbi Gichard (swimming). Finalists, Georgia Hulls (athletics), Sarah Morton (football), Amanda Jamieson (cycling), Kimiora Poi (netball), Elise Legarth (kayaking), Eva Goodisson (triathlon).

-Male sportsperson: Winner, Marino Mikaele-Tu'u (rugby). Finalists, Ryan Warren (canoe polo), Isaia Jones (basketball), Bruin Maunder (swimming), Sam Hiha (hockey), Bailey Stephens-Ellison (orienteering), David Rawnsley (orienteering).

-Supreme award winner: Bobbi Gichard (swimming).

-Code awards: Netball, Kimiora Poi; Male rugby, Marino Mikaele-Tu'u; Female rugby, Forne Burkin; Male football, Logan Bensemann; Female football, Sarah Morton; Volleyball, Laina Samia; Male hockey, Sam Hiha; Female hockey, Nicole Strawbridge; Male basketball, Isaia Jones; Female basketball, Anecia Wilkie; Male cricket, Todd Watson; Female cricket, Sophie Pyott; Male athletics, Dean Stafford; Female athletics, Georgia Hulls; Touch, Caleb Waretini; Tennis, Rob Reynolds.