Rotorua's Gisele Howard receives her prestigious award. Photo / Stephen Parker
Rotorua's Gisele Howard receives her prestigious award. Photo / Stephen Parker
Hard work and determination have been rewarded for Rotorua teenager Gisele Howard, whose dream of becoming a doctor has just been made easier after being acknowledged at the Māori Sports Awards.
The 18-year-old athletics champion was named the winner of the Skills Active Māori Sports Awards Scholarship at the 32nd Annual Māori Sports Awards hosted at Turangawaewae Marae, Ngāruawāhia on Saturday.
Gisele Howard receives her scholarship award. Photo / Supplied
The scholarship, awarded for sporting excellence and academic achievement, means the John Paul College student receives a $5000 scholarship to go towards her university studies.
“I have recently been offered and accepted a fast track into Auckland and Otago University for Bachelor of Health Science (Bio med degree),” Howard said.
Howard told the Rotorua Daily Post it was her dream to become a doctor and when asked if she had a specialised field in medicine in mind, she said she was keen on a career in surgery.
Gisele Howard with her medals from the 2022 Jennian Homes New Zealand Track and Field Championships. Photo / Supplied
Howard, who is ranked first in New Zealand U20 in long jump and third in triple jump, will continue with her athletics training while studying - knowing it’s going to be a juggle with her studies.
“It will be challenging but I will still try and make it work.”
Howard was among other Rotorua athletes who were acknowledged for excellence at the awards - in front of special guest, tennis great Dame Ruia Morrison from Rotorua.
Tennis great Dame Ruia Morrison (centre) with MPs Willie Jackson and Nanaia Mahuta. Photo / Stephen Parker, Photosport
Organiser Dick Garratt said the awards mana was enhanced with the presence of Dame Ruia, who was the first New Zealand woman and first Māori to play at Wimbledon and reached the quarter-finals in 1957.
Ngatuire Hapi (Ngāti Whakaue) was acknowledged as an Individual Māori World Champion and a Māori Team World Champion, and Koroiti Tongia (Ngāti Pikiao) was acknowledged as a Māori Team World Champion.
Hapi was a member of the World J19 Women’s V1 250m team who were named World Waka Ama champions, a member of the V6 500m and 1500m team who were world championship winners, and a member of the V12 500m team who were also world championship winners.
Tongia was a member of the world championship-winning V6 500m team, and the V6 500m team who were also named world champions.
Amanda Landers-Murphy from Rotorua. Photo / NZME
Rotorua squash player Amanda Landers-Murphy was named a recipient of the Sport New Zealand Māori Sports Team award, alongside Joelle King.
The pair have cemented themselves as among the best women’s pairings after winning back-to-back doubles championships and gold medals at Commonwealth Games.
