College sports: Bozzone shows range of talents at top level

By JENNI RUTHERFORD

Rangitoto College's Terenzo Bozzone has mastered the demanding art of multisport events, capping off an impressive six-month record by winning the national junior boys' duathlon championships in Napier.

The North Shore student has been consistently successful at national and Auckland level in multisport, triathlon and duathlon events, and will pack his bags for France as a member of the New Zealand team to compete at the world duathlon championships on October 8.

He has only been a competitor in the three sports for 15 to 18 months.

At 15, South African-born Bozzone is this country's under-20 duathlon champion. He had never before raced over the international distance of a 10km run, 42km cycle and 5km run, and he had to get special dispensation to compete because of his age.

He was 10th overall, seven minutes behind the winner, 24-year-old Mark Bailey, of Christchurch.

Bozzone is the national and Auckland secondary schools intermediate triathlon champion and Auckland junior boys' multisport titleholder.

He was second in the junior boys' race at the national secondary schools cross-country champs in Christchurch last month.

His natural talent is immense and, according to Rangitoto College's multisport manager, Peter Harwood, he has a physique perfect for the sport.

Bozzone's first national attempt at multisport earned him a silver medal at last year's secondary school championships.

While he has shown promise in the duathlon, the triathlon is his first love and he has Olympic dreams.

Auckland competitors excelled in all the age groups at the duathlon championships, with Bozzone, Julia Scopes and Jade Gilbertson, of Epsom Girls' Grammar, and James Elvery (Auckland Grammar) winning their races.

Elvery was in the front from the start of the intermediate boys' race, winning by almost two minutes.

Todd Calkin and Olly Tompkins sealed Auckland Grammar's success, finishing third and fifth respectively.

Scopes (intermediate girls) and Gilbertson (junior girls) added their wins at the weekend to their national triathlon titles.

Clark Ellis (Auckland Grammar) was leading the first running leg of the senior boys' event, but could not shut down Josh Dyer from Bethlehem College, who took charge in the cycle leg.

Ellis finished second, with Orewa College's Greg Weatherall third.

RUGBY Onehunga High School not only showed the might of New Zealand rugby at the Gold Coast international rugby festival over the school holidays, they also won the tournament.

Nearly 40 colleges from Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, England and Ireland competed, with two Auckland schools battling it out in the final.

The Onehunga side beat Rangitoto College 42-6 in the final to take home the championship and the Spirit of Rugby Trophy for winning and playing fair.

Coming up this week.

* Today: Intercity boys hockey.

Auckland: 1A/B boys hockey.

Counties Manukau: netball, boys and girls soccer.

North Harbour: grades 1 and 2 boys hockey.

* Tomorrow: Intercity girls hockey.

Auckland: 1A/B girls hockey.

North Harbour: grades 1 and 2 girls hockey.

* Friday: Auckland: basketball, squash, badminton, table tennis.

North Harbour: grades 3 and 4 girls hockey.

* Saturday: Auckland: netball, rugby, soccer.

Counties Manukau: rugby.

North Harbour: rugby, netball.

Waitakere: netball.

* Sunday: Auckland: cycling.

* Monday: Auckland: girls rugby, junior squash.

North Harbour: grade 3 boys.

* Tuesday: Greater Auckland badminton championships.