Students striving for solo success
Sport: Jiu jitsu.
Highlight: Training and competitions, including the King of the South regional competition. My highlight was fighting people taller or bigger than me and actually being able to beat them in the first fight and the final round. I have won two golds and two silvers in my last competitions and have been competing against bigger and taller people than me with better physical and technical strengths.
Training: Monday to Thursday, sometimes Fridays if competition classes.
Sporting dream: To become a professional.
Motivation: To strive to be better at the sport and become a great fighter in the future. Blue Mountain College Dylan Rawcliffe (14)
Sport: Speedway.
Highlight: Winning my first title recently at Riverside Speedway in Invercargill.
Training: It's more doing prep work on your car, which I do all myself, checking tyre pressure and set-up etc.
Motivation: I grew up watching my dad do speedway, so I wanted to do it as well. I really want to go to the NZ Titles in Ashburton next year, so I need to be able to qualify.
Dream: Going to America to race sprint cars in the International class. Logan Park High School Levi Milner (14)
Sports: Athletics and volleyball.
Highlight: Winning the 200m final at Otago championships in 2025.
Training: I train with the Hill City Athletics Club. During athletics season I train 2-3 nights a week with the club. We have club night once a week and I have long jump and high jump training two other nights. I also play other sports, football and volleyball, and training for them also keeps me fit for athletics.
Dream: To play volleyball at a professional level or to race at a national level for athletics.
Motivation: Every time I lose, it makes me want to race more and more to get better — it's a challenge. Columba College Elizabeth Dearden (16)
Sport: Diving.
Highlight: Getting to compete internationally in the 2025 Dubai International Aquatics Championships against competitors from five other countries, including the Russian Olympic team, where I was able to place fifth and sixth in my events (1m and 3m springboard). Another highlight was winning three medals at the New Zealand championships this year, coming first in the 1m event, first in the mixed synchronised diving event with my longtime diving partner Archie Vorgers, and third in the 3m event.
Training: My squad trains with two-hour pool sessions on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Saturday, where we work on strength training, perfecting and maintaining skills, as well as learning more difficult dives. On Thursdays and Saturdays we have group weight training in the gym to strengthen our dives, as well as personal gym sessions on other days to work on individual skills.
Dreams: To continue training and competing to the best of my ability, and to hopefully compete in more international competitions such as the World University Games. I would like diving to allow me to travel around the world, and connect with others who share my passion.
Motivation: I am most motivated by the friends I have made in my squad who encourage me to be better, and have supported me through all the ups and downs of diving. I am also highly motivated by my aspirations of further international competitions where I can compete to a high standard, potentially even at the world junior competitions or the World University Games. Finally, I want to be a role model to the younger divers that I coach, and encourage them to do their best and see where diving can take them. Cromwell College Levi Casey (12)
Sport: Squash.
Highlight: Winning Oceania junior championships.
Training: Three to five days of training a week (solo sessions).
Dream: Play professionally and play in the top 10 in the world.
Motivation: Watching Paul Coll from New Zealand play at all the big PSA events, seeing how much he's achieved and wondering if I could do the same. Mount Aspiring College Eva Small (15)
Sport: Freeride skiing and mountain biking.
Highlight: Competing at the freeride junior world championships earlier this year.
Training: Participating in team sports really helps me to keep fit. I go for runs quite a bit because it helps me with both sports.
Dream: To compete in the Freeride World Tour one day, competing with friends and travelling the world at the same time. For mountain biking, it would be really cool to go to the junior downhill world cup.
Motivation: I love the challenge of freeride skiing. Each run is an opportunity to improve my skills, whether it's dialing in my technique or gaining confidence in tricks. In Wānaka, the community for mountain biking and skiing is so good. There are always people to push you, and I can still enjoy the sports without being too serious. Queen's High School Eve Kelleher (15)
Sports: Triathlon, cross-country, athletics, cycling, duathlon.
Highlight so far: Second place at the New Zealand secondary schools triathlon, competing in Nelson at the South Island secondary schools athletics with personal bests in 3000m (first), 2km steeplechase (third) and 4x400m relay (first) and finishing third in 1500m, and finishing fourth in the three-day Tour of Southland event.
Training: Swimming three mornings a week, two netball trainings and a game, two running speed sets, a morning bike, an easy run and either a long ride or a cycling race on a Sunday.
Dream: To some day represent New Zealand for triathlon and hopefully go to a world championships event, or maybe even the Olympics. I would love to train overseas when I am older.
Motivation: I love training hard and competing. I want to do well and be the best I possibly can be in all the sports that I compete in. I know this requires hard work and dedication, but training with like-minded friends makes it enjoyable. My parents also encourage me and are always willing to travel all over New Zealand to help me achieve my sporting goals. My main inspiration is my cousin Anika Thompson. She represents Ireland in athletics and has just recently become the European under-23 champion in the 10km and came third in the 5km. Otago Boys' High School Henry Hodgson (16)
Sports: Orienteering and triathlon.
Highlight: Fourth in the New Zealand orienteering sprint distance championships.
Training: I swim five times, bike three times and run three times per week.
Dream: Getting selected for the New Zealand team for the junior world orienteering championship.
Motivation: With orienteering, I am keen to explore new territory, always wanting to make no mistakes. With triathlon, I have to get up early to swim, and am motivated to do this by my determination to do well in all of my races. Jonty Smith (17)
Sport: Golf.
Highlight: Senior A pennants for Balmacewen B52s, captain of OBHS golf team.
Training: Personalised golf training plan seven days a week.
Dream: To be selected for US college golf or play for Otago at the interprovincial championships.
Motivation: My motivation comes from the people who support me like my family and people around the golf club, and wanting to achieve my goals. Noah Kitto (16)
Sport: Saloons racing.
Highlight: Winning Zealand speedway competitor of the year.
Training: Practice runs at Waldronville.
Dream: Winning a national title in the streetstocks competition.
Motivation: Being the best I possibly can be, and improving my results in each competition.
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