Gabrielle Fa'amausili's success at a young age has set her apart, while Jack Salt has earned a place with the Tall Blacks. Photo / Dean Purcell
Gabrielle Fa'amausili's success at a young age has set her apart, while Jack Salt has earned a place with the Tall Blacks. Photo / Dean Purcell
Gabrielle Fa'amausili and Jack Salt had their outstanding sporting success recognised as the big winners at the ASB Sportsperson of the Year awards dinner.
Avondale College's Fa'amausili and Westlake's Salt won the respective overall honours for a year in which they each represented New Zealand on the international stage.
Fa'amausili follows Monique Robins (Takapuna Grammar, in 2000) and Melissa Ingram (EGGS, 2002) as another swimmer to take overall honours while Salt becomes the third basketballer to take the award following fellow WBHS pupils Robert Loe (2009) and Tai Webster (2012) in claiming the top prize.
Lydia Ko (Pinehurst School) was not eligible for this year's award as she did not represent her school domestically. Instead, the now-professional golfer and overall winner for the past two years was the recipient of the international award in recognition of her outstanding year.
Rarely has a Year 9 pupil figured as a contender for overall honours in the ASB Young Sportsperson of the Year, let alone win it. But Fa'amausili is not your run-of-the-mill sporting star.
At just 13 years old she stunned the swimming world with her record-breaking victory in the 50m backstroke at the Fina World Junior Championships - for swimmers under 18 years - in Dubai in August.
The talented Avondale College pupil has been virtually unbeatable in the pool this year, more often than not competing against much older swimmers.
Jack Salt had an outstanding year leading WBHS to the New Zealand Secondary Schools title.
In 15 events at the Auckland zone and Auckland SS champion of champions meet she was unbeaten in all strokes. She went on to win five of six finals at the Auckland SS individual championships.
Fa'amausili already holds national records in backstroke, freestyle and individual medley.
In claiming the overall award at the Sportsperson of the Year she beat, among others, squash star Eleanor Epke (EGGS), cyclist Renee Wootton (Massey HS), basketballer Penina Davidson (Rangitoto College), and MAGS' Jamie-Lee Price (netball) and Destiny Grace (touch).
Fa'amausili and Salt each won $500 from ASB and return Air Tahiti Nui flights to Los Angeles.
Salt had an outstanding year leading WBHS to the New Zealand Secondary Schools title and gaining full New Zealand honours in being selected for the Tall Blacks.
Next year Salt heads to the University of Virginia on a full basketball scholarship.
Salt was one of five WBHS winners at the awards function with AGS and St Kentigern each claiming three award-winners.
Results
ASB Young Sportsperson of the Year awards
ASB Young Sportsman of the Year: Jack Salt (WBHS). ASB Young Sportswoman of the Year: Gabrielle Fa'amausili (Avondale College). Allrounders: Penina Davison (Rangitoto), Madeline Evans (St Kentigern), Destiny Grace (MAGS), Georgia Hale (Long Bay), Briar McNamara-Nelson (Rangitoto). Athletes with a disability: Richard Parker (Kings). Athletics: Matthew Bloxham (Orewa); Eliza McCartney (TGS). Badminton: Daniel Lee (AGS); Rayna Phillips (WGHS). Basketball: Jack Salt (WBHS); Penina Davidson (Rangitoto). Cricket: Shawn Hicks (AGS); Francesca Wilkinson (St Kentigern). Cycling: Harry Elworthy (TGS); Renee Wootton (Massey High). Distance running: Finn Wilson (AGS); Audrey Gregan (St Cuthberts). Equestrian (eventing): Rosa Rieger (Baradene). Football: Matthew Ridenton (St Kentigern); Martine Puketapu (EGGS). Golf: Tadhg Campbell (Massey High); Wen Yung Keh (Botany Downs). Gymnastics: Dylan Schmidt (Kings); Alexa Kennedy (EGGS). Hockey: Alexander Hanham (Kristin School); Su Arn Kwek (St Cuthberts). International achievement: Lydia Ko (Pinehurst School). Lacrosse (girls): Amelia Scharting (MAGS). Lawn Bowls: Liam van Rijn (Lynfield); Mackenzie Blucher (St Dominics). Mountainbiking: Tom Coombes (Massey High); Harriet Beaven (Parnell College). Netball: Jamie-Lee Price (MAGS). Orienteering: Cameron Tier (WBHS); Kayla Fairburn (St Cuthberts). Rowing: Marty Davenport (WBHS); Alexandra Kerr (EGGS). Rugby League: Semisi Havili (St Pauls). Rugby Union: Blake Gibson (St Kentigern); Onjeurlina Leiataua (Papatoetoe HS). Softball: Maddix Rice (St Peters); Tyneesha Houkamau (Pakuranga). Squash: Sion Wiggin (WBHS); Eleanor Epke (EGGS). Swimming: Maxim Polianski (Liston); Gabrielle Fa'amausili (Avondale). Table tennis: Victor Pollett (WBHS); Sam Sun (WGHS). Tennis: William Matheson (St Kentigern); Paige Hourigan (St Kentigern). Touch: William Raea (St Kentigern); Destiny Grace (MAGS). Triathlon/Duathlon/Multisport: Callum Ross (AGS); Alana Lythe (WGHS). Underwater hockey: Louis Flavell Birch (Howick); Juliet Bevis (Diocesan). Volleyball: Mitchell Hallett (Rangitoto); Bethany Hayman (WGHS). Waka Ama/Outrigger canoe: Milla Brown (Alfriston). Water polo: Denzel Niuelua (Sacred Heart); Ricci Ferigo (Diocesan). Wrestling: Douglas Lloyd (Dilworth); Ruth Minturn (Avondale). Yachting: Jack Simson (Rosmini); Eliza Wilkinson (Diocesan).
Rugby
Condor sevens finals
Boys Cup: Kelston BHS 19 Scot's College 12. Plate: Nelson College 26 PNBHS 5. Bowl: WBHS 22 St Peter's School (Cambridge) 17 (after extra time). Shield: Napier BHS 31 St Peter's College (Auckland) 14.
Tournament team Blake Hohaia (MAGS), Eli Vole (Scot's College); Elia Elia (St Thomas, Canterbury), Faitatoa Faitatoa (KBHS); Jack Goodhue (MAGS), Jone Naikabula (KBHS); Malo Tuitama (Scot's College); Mitchell Hunt (Nelson College); Nathaniel Apa (KBHS); Rolana Alaiasa (KBHS); Varani Komaisavai (Scot's College); Vilimoni Koroi (Wanganui HS)
Girls Cup: Hamilton GHS 34 New Plymouth GHS 5. Plate: Southland GHS 27 Opotiki College 7. Bowl: South Otago HS 36 Wellington East Girls' College 12. Shield: MAGS 36 Long Bay College 5.
Tournament team Amy Cokayne (Feilding HS); Anastasia Sekene (Avondale College); Ariana Hira-Herangi (Hamilton GHS); Keilamarita Pouri-Lane (Motueka HS); Kiritapu Demant (Mahurangi College); Michaela Blyde (New Plymouth GHS); Morgan Clark (Motueka HS); Nikau Teddy (Opotiki College); Samara Hollows (South Otago HS); Te Awatea Whitiora-Te Uira (Hamilton GHS); Tenika Willison (Hamilton GHS); Terina Te Tamaki (Hamilton GHS)
Boys Division one: Rangitoto College 1, AGS 2, Green Bay HS 3, MAGS 4, Sacred Heart 5, St Peters 6, Kings 7, WBHS 8, St Patricks Wellington 9, Aquinas College 10, St Bernards College, Hamilton BHS equal 11. MVP: Chris Downie (AGS). Most outstanding: Troy Armstrong (Green Bay HS), Matthew Morris (Rangitoto), Theo Bailey (Green Bay HS).
Division two: Kristin 1, Long Bay 2, St Patricks Silverstream 3, St Kentigern 4, Palmerston North BHS 5, John Paul College 6, MRGS 7, St John's College 8, TGS 9, Avondale 10, Rosmini 11, Lynfield 12, Glendowie 13, Papamoa College 14, Wellington HS 15, Parnell College 16, Northcote College 17, Rotorua Lakes HS 18, Rutherford College 19. MVP (of final): Henry Dick (Kristin).
Girls Division one: St Cuthberts 1, Mt Maunganui 2, WGHS 3, Diocesan 4, St Marys 5, EGGS 6, Baradene 7, Waikato Diocesan 8, Wellington East Girls 9, Hamilton GHS 10. MVP: Antonia Young (St Cuthberts). Most outstanding: Emily Nicholson (WGHS), Caitlyn Lyttle (Mt Maunganui), Alisha Winstanley (Mt Maunganui).
Division two: Long Bay 1, Carmel 2, John Paul College 3, Sacred Heart Girls College, Hamilton 4, Hillcrest HS 5, Marist College 6, Green Bay HS 7, Wellington East Girls B 8. MVP (of final): Frankie Myers (Long Bay).
