AIMS Games officially begins, with breakfast

AIMS Games children meet Olympic stars including Luuka Jones and Molly Meech join in on an official breakfast at the Tauranga Yacht and Boat Club to mark the first day of the annual event.

About 250 students have gathered on the first morning of the 2016 AIMS Games to mark the occasion with breakfast on the shores of Tauranga.

Tauranga Olympian athletes Luuka Jones and Molly Meech were among the crowd who met at the Tauranga Yacht and Boat Club at Sulphur Point at 6am.

AIMS Games has brought more than 9000 sporting children to Tauranga to take part in the annual sporting event which sees children of intermediate age from all over New Zealand compete in their chosen sport.

Jones said her message to the young and up-coming athletes was to ''just trucking in sport''.

''Keep learning and enjoying it.''

The athletes were also part of the official opening ceremony at ASB Arena last night, which featured Benny Tipene.

Meech said the ceremony was ''amazing''.