KEY POINTS:
Olympic hopefuls dominate this year's crop of Herald Junior Sports Award winners with some set to achieve that goal this year.
This year's winners are a diverse group of rising stars, with Myles Browne-Cole (shooting), Simon Child (hockey), Sacha Jones (tennis), Annalie Longo (soccer), and Kane Radford (swimming) all hailed as having a big future in sport. Bianca Barbarich-Bacher (yachting), Matt Hewitt (surfing), and Matthew Lack (wheelchair sports) picked up highly commended awards at yesterday's luncheon.
TOP PERFORMANCES
Browne-Cole, 19, is regarded as one of the country's most promising young shooters. Involved in the sport since 2002, he has been part of the New Zealand Shooting Federation's high performance squad since 2005. He said his biggest achievement to date was winning gold in the trap at the Youth Olympics last year with an internationally-recognised score of 117. He was also runner-up in the double trap.
Child, 19, debuted for the national men's hockey team as a 16-year-old and has since cemented his place in the senior line-up. Including his matches at the 2006 World Cup and Commonwealth Games, he has already won more than 60 caps and scored a bucketful of goals including a world individual record 11 in the 39-0 Oceania romp over Papua New Guinea.
Jones, 17, has long been regarded as a player likely to fill the void at the top of New Zealand tennis ranks. She made her Fed Cup debut in Christchurch last year. The youngest team member, she won three of her four matches and improved her world ranking by more than 400 places.
Longo, 16, became New Zealand's youngest full football international when she was promoted to the senior side at 15. The Auckland teen rates this as the highlight of her already impressive career.
She has already competed for New Zealand at the highest level having attended the Women's World Cup last year. Having also played in the Under-20 world tournament, this year's FIFA Under-17 World Cup will be Longo's third World Cup event.
Radford, 17, who said he became a long distance swimmer because he "can't sprint to save himself" had an impressive year. After outstanding efforts in the Sovereign Ocean Series, Rotorua-based Radford, who had broken Danyon Loader's long-standing 1500m age group [pool] record, went on to underline his standing as NZ's best open water swimmer.
BRIGHT FUTURES
Jones aims to make the main draw of all the Grand Slam tournaments this year and she will have to improve her ranking by about 30 places just to make the qualifying tournaments. She admits it is a tough ask, but one she believes is "definitely do-able".
"It is certainly going to be difficult but I have until mid-April to improve my ranking and I think it's important to set your sights high," the 17-year-old said.
Brown-Cole has his sights set on the 2012 Games in London. And it seems his medal-winning potential has already caught the eye of the hosts. His family emigrated from England 10 years ago and he still holds a British passport. English officials have been trying to lure the teenager back to the UK so he can represent the hosts in 2012. Before that there are some who feel Browne-Cole will be ready to shoot trap at the 2010 Commonwealth Games in New Delhi.
Child's Olympic dream is set to be realised later this year after the Black Sticks qualified for the Beijing Games in heart-stopping fashion this month. This year is certain to be busy for Longo. Provided the New Zealand women's football side is endorsed by the New Zealand Olympic Committee she looks certain to go to Beijing.
The Epsom Girls Grammar student will then link up with the Under-17 national side for the World Cup, which is hosted by New Zealand at the end of the year.
Radford is another of the young stars gunning for a place in Beijing. But having missed out on qualifying in the 5km open water swim he faces a tough battle to seal his place. His only remaining chance is in the 1500m and he will have to shave 25 seconds off his personal best at the National Champs next month to make the FINA A qualifying time.
If he fails to make it this time, Radford will turn his focus to the 2012 Games in London.
