Latest news with #Arawa
NZ Herald
6 days ago
- Sport
- NZ Herald
Top 10 for Gisborne paddler Jacqueline Kennedy in K1 500 at junior world champs
Kennedy, at 16 years old, was one of the youngest athletes in the junior women's division, in which she competed in the K1 500m and K2 500m. She progressed to the K1 semifinals after placing third in her heat in a time of 2m 1.03s. In her semi, she set an outstanding personal best time of 1m 55.08s in finishing fourth, but only the top three in each of the three semis advanced to the A final. Kennedy's time would have got her into the final in the other two semis. She dominated the B final to win in 2m 1.17s – 2.7s clear of the second-placed paddler. The A final was won by Germany's Caroline Heuser in 1m 56.55s. Jacqueline Kennedy set a personal best time in her semifinal of the K1 500 and only just missed out on a place in the A final. Kennedy combined with Stella Crossan from the Arawa club in Christchurch for the K2 500. They were fifth in their heat in 1m 54.3s and fifth in their semifinal in 1m 48.35s, with the top three qualifying for the A final. It put them in the B final, which they led for most of the 500m before finishing fifth (14th overall), with only 0.58s separating first to fifth. Maxwell Kennedy, 18, competed in the junior men's K4 500m and K2 500m. The K4 crew of Dylan Monk, Brydon Storey, Kennedy and Lewis Monk were sixth in their heat in 1m 28.33s and third in their semifinal in 1m 25.81s to become the first Kiwi men's junior crew to make an A final at an International Canoe Federation event. Maxwell Kennedy (third from left) and his K4 teammates were the first New Zealand junior men's crew to make an A final at an ICF event. They finished eighth in a tight final won by Hungary in 1m 27.6s. Kennedy also competed in the 150-crew K2 races with Lewis Monk from Christchurch. They were seventh in their heat and sixth in their semifinal, which put them into the B final, where they placed ninth for 18th overall. Hannah Webb, 18, showed courage and resilience to overcome illness while competing in the junior women's K4 500m and K1 1000m. The K4 crew of Mia Padrutt, Stellan Crossan, Hope Duffett and Webb faced tough competition, but paddled solidly in placing fifth in their heat and ninth in their semifinal. Webb was eighth in her K1 1000m heat and did not progress to the semis. 'The whole New Zealand team put on a strong performance with most of the athletes making finals,' said head development coach and former Gisborne woman Emily Willock. 'They produced solid improvements in rankings in all the races they were in and I was super proud of them.' The Kennedy siblings and Webb said they were grateful to the Gisborne community for all the funding support and good wishes they received, especially Ovation NZ, the team at Whiti Ora Tairawhiti for the Rising Legends programme the three have been part of, and Eastland Port for its support of water sports. .
RNZ News
12-06-2025
- RNZ News
Bougainville legal dept looking towards sorcery violence policy
Sorcery-related violence is still a problem in Papua New Guinea Photo: 123RF The Department of Justice and Legal Services in Bougainville is aiming to craft a government policy to deal with violence related to sorcery accusations. The Post Courier reports a forum, which wrapped up on Wednesday, aimed to dissect the roots of sorcery/witchcraft beliefs and the severe violence stemming from accusations. An initial forum was held in Arawa last month. Central Bougainville's Director of Justice and Legal Services, Dennis Kuiai, said the forums' ultimate goal is crafting a government policy. Further consultations are planned for South Bougainville next week and a regional forum in Arawa later this year. "This policy will be deliberated and developed into law to address sorcery and [sorcery accusation-related violence] in Bougainville," he said. "We aim to provide an effective legal mechanism." He said the future law's structure was to target three key areas: the violence linked to accusations, sorcery practices themselves, and addressing the phenomenon of "glass man". A glassman or glassmeri has the power to accuse women and men of witchcraft and sorcery. Papua New Guinea outlawed the practice in 2022. The forum culminated in the compilation and signing of a resolution on its closing day, witnessed by officials. Sorcery has long been an issue in PNG. Those accused of sorcery are frequently beaten, tortured, and murdered, and anyone who manage to survive the attacks are banished from their communities. In April, a mother-of-four was was reportedly rejected by her own family after she was saved by a social justice advocacy group. In August last year, an advocate told people in Aotearoa - where she was raising awareness - that Papua New Guinea desperately needed stronger laws to protect innocents and deliver justice for victims of sorcery related violence. In October 2023, Papua New Guinea MPs were told that gender-based and sorcery violence was widespread and much higher than reported . In November 2020, two men in the Bana district were hacked to death by members of a rival clan, who claimed the men used sorcery against them.
