College sport: Young stars to shine on the world stage

Shot putter Jacko Gill from Takapuna Grammar and discus thrower Siositina Hakeai from Auckland Girls Grammar. Photo / Paul Estcourt

Siositina Hakeai and Jacko Gill are giving new meaning to "punching above your weight" with their selection to compete at July's World Junior [under-20] track and field championships in Canada.

Hakeai, "Tina" to her mates at Auckland Girls' Grammar, and Gill, from Takapuna Grammar, are still eligible to compete at next year's World youth championships in France where Hakeai, 15, in the discus, and Gill, also 15, in shot put will be among the warmest of favourites.

Gill's progress has been well-documented as he has made huge strides since linking a year ago with top coach Didier Poppe, who also recently took over coaching Olympic champion Valerie Vili. Hakeai, by comparison, has flown under the radar.

After initial contact from her parents, Nigel Edwards, through his involvement with the junior section at the Papatoetoe Athletic Club, has coached Hakeai for the past two years.

It is a partnership that has blossomed - Hakeai has become the face of John Walker's Fields of Dreams initiative.

"I get a real buzz from it," said Edwards. "Her parents are 100 per cent supportive and Tina has a strong will to win. She trains four days a week with her father overseeing her fitness training while I work on her technique in two sessions a week at Mt Smart. She also does her weights at home."

Living near Auckland's International Airport, Hakeai only has to pop over the fence to train at Viscount Primary School, where they have a concrete circle.

"Given the kind of pupils they have at the school, they encourage them to throw. Tina is a product of that," said Edwards. "Our target was next year's World Youth Championships, but such has been her progress, she has stunned everyone by qualifying for the World Juniors.

"While her love is the shot, it is in discus she is really excelling so far. The qualifying mark for Canada is 47m. She threw 49.56m in winning the W19 title at the New Zealand Championships and is now ranked fourth among the world's best youth throwers."

The World Juniors will be a big ask, but the experience will be invaluable as she will still be eligible to compete at the next two championships, by which time she may well have wiped Beatrice Faumuina's long-standing national junior mark from the records.

While Hakeai is making her mark in discus, Jacko Gill is sending shockwaves among the world's best young shot putters.

He will be the youngest competitor in Canada - sneaking inside the minimum cut-off age by just 10 days - but he has his sights set on a medal.

HOCKEY

Construction of another much-needed all-weather turf will start at Diocesan School for Girls later this year and be ready for play in 2012.

The multi-purpose all-weather wet-dressed sports turf will be used for hockey as well other sports. Hockey continues to blossom at Diocesan.

Their 1st XI won last season's top-ranked Federation Cup and the 2nd XI the national Chris Arthur Cup.

The new facility will include an underground 206-vehicle carpark, a tiered spectator gallery for up to 280 people, changing rooms, a sheltered bus bay and floodlighting.

The project is the second stage of a plan to create more space for sports at the school.

The first stage was the state-of-the-art aquatic centre, which opened in February last year and boasts the only school pool in New Zealand with a moveable floor.

As well as that 25m x 20m pool, designed for sports codes including water polo, flippa ball and underwater hockey along with beginner swimmers, the aquatic centre has a learner pool, a physical education classroom, a purpose-built fitness centre and a tiered 380-seat spectator gallery.

Diocesan principal Heather McRae said the multi-purpose turf is part of a long-term focus on developing the school's already excellent sporting, cultural and academic facilities.

"Diocesan has a rich history of achievement in a range of sporting codes and the multi-purpose turf will help the school build on its culture of sporting excellence," said McRae.

"It will also provide all students with even more opportunities to participate in the wide range of physical education and sporting activities."

"The turf will be able to be used as a much-needed venue for secondary school level competitions at local, regional and national level - so it will be an asset to the wider educational community as a whole."

LEAGUEForget the NRL scandal across the Tasman. In Auckland, where it counts, league is taking big steps, if the figures for the new secondary school season are a guide.

For the 2010 season, which kicks-off today, 42 teams are set to play.

The last time that many teams ran out to play secondary school league was 2001.

Even more encouragingly, a record 15 teams are set to play in the University Shield 1st XIII championship.

Even in 1998, when 50 teams played, only 10 were in the top grade.

"I have no doubt that within two years we will be back to 50 teams - and hopefully beyond," said ASB College Sport rugby league co-ordinator Lara Collins.

"A lot of work has been done by the Auckland Secondary Schools Rugby League - with great assistance from Keith Hanley at Auckland Rugby League - to ensure the sport does not plummet back to the days when, in 2006, only 20 teams played."

With 15 teams, the top grade is best represented but 13 teams will play in the under-15 nine-a-side competition, eight in the College A under-85kg grade and an encouraging six teams in the girl's 13-a-side competition.

NETBALL

Grading for the Auckland and North Harbour SS associations begins on Saturday with grading games.

Auckland have three weeks of grading with the first competition round starting on May 22. North Harbour have four rounds of grading at all levels with their competition proper starting on May 29.

RUGBY

Defending champions MAGS hit the ground running with a 40-13 away win over long-time rivals Kings College.

Continuing their sound pre-season form, MAGS quickly dominated territory and possession and took the early lead when Matt McGahan landed a penalty. The home side soon replied in a like manner to level the scores at 3-3.

As the home side were left one short with a player in the sin bin following a high tackle on Jarrod McAlister-Poi, MAGS made the most of their advantage with McGahan adding another penalty before Gafatasi Su'a dotted down for the opening try, which was converted by Albert Nikoro for a 13-3 lead.

Cameron Rutherford then scored his first try on debut. McGahan's conversion extended the lead to 21-3 before poor MAGS defence gifted the home side a try and a 21-8 halftime scoreline.

MAGS continued to press in the second half to claim a bonus point and an eventual clear-cut victory in a perfect dress rehearsal for this week's televised clash with AGS.

Neighbours Tamaki College and Sacred Heart continued their recent run of entertaining rugby in the season-opening round clash at Tamaki.

Running in four tries, Tamaki scored a reasonably comfortable 27-13 win to leave the schools with two wins each and a draw in their last five encounters.

Tamaki struggled to gain ascendancy by giving away too many early penalties. Sacred Heart opened the scoring by converting their third penalty attempt.

A Tamaki raid soon produced a welcome try for T.K. Kioa and conversion from Viliami Puafisi.

Almost immediately, Sacred Heart responded with another penalty, only for Puafisi to reply with a try and a penalty goal right on halftime for a 15-6 lead.

Tamaki scored first after the break with a converted try to centre Grady Hunt to extend their lead to 22-6.

Sacred Heart refused to give up and showed character, which led to a deserved try for prop John Biscoe Tugaloo under the posts after a sustained build-up.

The home side soon dotted down for their fourth, bonus-point try when right wing Mercy Lufe crossed to make it safe for the home side.

The men of the match were Tamaki prop Aquila Ngaro and Sacred Heart's No 8 Jordan Taufua.

In a comfortable but untidy performance, AGS kicked off their season with a 15-3 away win over Otahuhu College.

After conceding a spate of early penalties and some early lineout wobbles the AGS forwards settled into their work, and were able to set a good platform for the backs to work from.

Phillipe Pau ran strongly from the back of the scrum and the ball was recycled with much greater efficiency and accuracy than in pre-season games.

After promising attacks, Conrad Hurrell eventually found some space looping outside centre Braxton Stanley, and bullocked his way to the tryline. Christian Walker converted from out wide.

Several other opportunities went begging with poor passes or bad handling at vital times, and Otahuhu fed from these errors.

Playing into the wind in the second half, AGS did well to dominate possession even if Otahuhu did break the AGS defence many times by slipping through ineffective tackling.

Following extended pressure, Pau was driven over from close range to take the score to 12-0 before Otahuhu replied with a penalty goal.

A further penalty to Walker completed the scoring.

For AGS, Stanley was creative at centre and Hurrell was menacing with the ball in hand but failed to feed his outsides at times.

Locks Troey Myers and Andy Cartwright were prominent and there were much improved performances from Wilson Lavelua and Saeer Slaimankhel.

COMING UP

TODAY: Badminton, North Harbour senior A girls (4pm), WGHS 1 v Northcote 4, Carmel 2 v Long Bay 1, Kristin 3 v WGHS 4, Rangitoto 1 v Northcote 1, Kristin 4 v Northcote 2, Carmel 1 v Glenfield 1, Kristin 1 v WGHS 3, Carmel 3 v Northcote 3, Kristin 2 v Albany 1, WGHS 2 v Birkenhead 1.

FRIDAY: Basketball, premier, girls (6pm), AGGS v St Cuthberts, Jordan Centre, MAGS v Diocesan, MAGS, Rangitoto v Massey, Rangitoto, Kristin v Avondale, WBHS. Boys (7.30pm), Onehunga v AGS, Jordan Centre, MAGS v Dilworth, MAGS, Rangitoto v KBHS, Rangitoto, WBHS v Avondale, WBHS.

Squash, premier girls (4pm), Glenfield v Diocesan, Unitec, Kings v MAGS, Kings, EGGS bye. Premier boys, division one (4pm), AGS v WBHS, North Shore SCD, MAGS v Kings, MAGS, Sacred Heart v Glendowie, Remuera SC. Division two, AGS 2 v TGS, AGS, Onehunga v Orewa, Unitec, St Kentigern v Glenfield, St Kentigern.

Water polo, senior B boys, division one, TGS v Sacred Heart B1, Sacred Heart 7pm, Senior College Of NZ v AGS, Sacred Heart 6pm, Avondale bye, Kristin v Sacred Heart B2, Sacred Heart 7.30pm, Western Springs v Northcote, West Wave 5.10pm, Parnell bye. Senior B girls division one, MAGS v Carmel, EGGS 7pm, Baradene v Diocesan B, EGGS 5.30pm, Kings v Rangitoto, EGGS 6pm. Division two, AGGS v MRGS, EGGS 6.30pm, St Cuths B bye.

SATURDAY: Netball, Auckland/North Harbour grading starts.

Rugby, Auckland 1st XV 1A (2.30pm, home team first), AGS v MAGS (live on Rugby Channel), De La Salle v Otahuhu, Kings v Tangaroa, Sacred Heart v KBHS, St Kentigern v St Peters, Tamaki v Aorere. 1B (noon) pool one, Avondale v St Pauls, Edgewater v Papatoetoe, Hillary v One Tree Hill, Marcellin v Dilworth. Pool two, Botany Downs v MRGS, Howick v Onehunga, Liston v Macleans, Mangere v Waitakere. North Harbour, 1A (noon), WBHS v Mahurangi, Massey HS v Orewa, TGS v Rosmini, Rangitoto bye. 1B (noon), Glenfield v Kristin, Kaipara v Kingsway, Long Bay v Hato Petera, Whangaparaoa v Birkenhead.

Soccer, Auckland SS, premier (noon, home team first), Sacred Heart v AGS, WBHS v St Peters, MAGS v Kings, Kristin v Rangitoto. 1A (noon), KBHS v Avondale, Northcote v St Kentigern, Glendowie v Macleans, Onehunga v Liston. A2 (10am), Pakuranga v Rosmini, TGS v Long Bay, Glenfield v Massey, Papatoetoe v MRGS. A3 (10am), Selwyn v Green Bay, One Tree Hill v Lynfield, Botany Downs v Howick, Rutherford v Whangaparaoa. A4 (10am), Henderson v Dilworth, Waitakere v Sancta Maria, Otahuhu v Parnell, Birkenhead v Mahurangi.

SUNDAY: Water polo, Senior B boys division one, TGS v Senior College Of NZ, Sacred Heart 6.30pm, Avondale v AGS B, Sacred Heart 7pm, Sacred Heart B1 bye. Sacred Heart B2 v Western Springs, Sacred Heart 6pm, Northcote v Kristin, Millennium 5.10pm, Parnell bye. Senior B girls division one, Rangitoto v Baradene, Millennium 6.10pm, Carmel v Kings, Millennium 6.40pm, Diocesan B v MAGS, Millennium 5.40pm.

MONDAY: Badminton, North Harbour senior boys A (4pm) WBHS 1 v WBHS 2, TGS v Rangitoto 1, WBHS 4 v Birkenhead, WBHS 3 v Rangitoto 2, Rosmini v Albany.

Basketball, premier, girls (6pm), St Cuths v Kristin, AGS, Massey v Avondale, Massey, Dio v AGGS, Dilworth, Rangitoto v MAGS, Rangitoto. Boys (7.30pm), AGS v WBHS, AGS, Avondale v KBHS, Massey, Dilworth v Onehunga, Dilworth, Rangitoto v MAGS.

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