Team Tasman honoured at Halberg Games
Sixteen athletes from Tasman at the opening ceremony for the 10th Halberg Games in Auckland. Gabby Clark (left back row), Millie Oram, Nihalii Merrilees, Prayer MacDonald. Adelaide Ketel (middle row), Phoebe Hodgson, Joel Kindley, Emily-Rose Coleman, Matilda Bowron, Kristyna Pichova, Alex Crombie, Liana Bowron. Aidan Brown (front row), Hunter Grooby, Joseph Tebbutt, Ben Murphy. Photo: Halberg Foundation/Photosport NZ.
Tasman sent a record 16 athletes to the annual Halberg Games and their efforts in and around competition were duly acknowledged by the organisers.
Team Tasman was awarded the Milner Mobility Spirit of the Games Award which was based on cheering on and supporting the athletes with disabilities, over the three days of competing.
“That was such an honour,” declares Millie Oram, who captained the team. Nine-year-old Emily-Rose Coleman, from Tapawera, gave virtually every sport a try and took home the Joyce Fisher Cup for Female Spirit of the Games.
Joel Kindley, 12, was adjudged the Tasman Team MVP after winning his 50,100 and 200 metre sprints and the shot put at the King’s College track and field venue.
It was Millie’s third Halberg Games and “way better” than previous ones.
“They were really well organised. There was a lot of work went in to getting such a big team to travel to Auckland.
“We started fundraising just a month after the previous games finished,” says the Nelson College for Girls Year 9 student, who took part in wheelchair basketball, swimming, netball and shot put.
The local contingent is grateful to its major sponsors Tasman Mayor Tim King and his council, Lloyd Morgan Trust and Nelson Host Lions.