Thursday, November 23, 2017
TOKO Maru Papuni who, has just started at Omarumutu School sends a quoit flying through-the-air on one of the eight junior events during their field rotation at the country schools’ athletics day.
Photos Ross McCullough OB4034-10
Ross McCullough
THE collective spirit of the Motu community made the country schools’ athletics day at Omarumutu School last Thursday a success.
That success was followed up the next day at the Opotiki district primary schools’ event at Opotiki College.
Eight schools from across the Opotiki district took part in the country athletics day on Thursday.
Junior students, aged between 5 and 8, participated in eight events, giving them a taste of athletics, and an opportunity to practice their techniques.
Senior students, aged nine years and over, participated in five slightly more competitive field events with opportunities to qualify for the Opotiki district schools’ athletics the next day.
As well as the usual field events like the high jump, long jump, and shot put, the seniors had the opportunity to hurl vortexes.
Michael Corboy from the Opotiki Athletics Club said throwing the vortex saw the children working on a similar point of balance throwing a javelin.
The field events were followed by the usual track sprints with the enthusiasm and youthful exuberance, offering up some hilarious moments.
One boy who finished the 100 metres ran past the finish line, and carried on running the 400m track.
And a girl in the five-year-old 100m heat who made a jump start avoiding the marshals on track to finish the distance.
This year Te Kura Kaupapa Maori o Waioweka collected the most points over the course of the day with Apanui School at Te Kaha second, and the hosts Omarumutu third.
Omarumutu School had a long-standing reputation of bringing together schools across the Motu as an opportunity to connect, share and celebrate success as whanau, said Courtney Andrews from the school.
Each year, Andrews said, the organisers were surprised with what could be achieved on a small budget and with the generosity of others.
She said it was an event that only functioned because of the dynamic community, which had a can-do attitude.
“The collaborative spirit of our community drives the successfulness of the day,” she said.
All schools and the active services being provided within them by the likes of Eastbay Reap, Sport Bay of Plenty, and Whakatohea Services, play a vital role on the day.
She made special acknowledgement of Mike Corboy and the Opotiki Athletics Club which loans its equipment to the school to run the event.
“This equipment has enabled us to upscale our day again to offer athletics gear that otherwise our students may not get to experience.”
Andrews said this year was an especially awesome year for their school with the children rocking a new sports uniform, which was now aligned with the Ngati Rua hapu colouring.
And all thanks to a successful funding application to the Southern Trust which supported the purchase of the new school sports uniforms.
Those that qualified from Opotiki district schools’ athletics at the end of last week, will now go forward to the Eastern Bay athletics day on November 28.
This will be followed by the Bay of Plenty Athletics Championships at Rex Morpeth Park in Whakatane on December 6.