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Future sports stars will go head to head across Tauranga next week when elite intermediate-aged athletes from across the country compete in the NZCT AIMS Games.
Tournament director Vicki Semple says excitement is building for the event which will be officially opened in the new TECT Arena at Baypark on Sunday night.
The opening ceremony, in front of a crowd of more than 4000, will be the new venue’s first major event and includes a speech by former single sculls world titleholder Rob Waddell.
Mount Maunganui Intermediate School students prepare for the NZCT AIMS Games at TECT Arena at Baypark.
Vicki says the competition, which is in its 8th year, is bigger and better than any before with 4600 competitors in 15 sports codes.
Mount Maunganui Intermediate School AIMS Games coordinator Nicola Logan says the 86 students taking part had been training hard and were “totally excited”. She says the school’s traditional strengths were water polo, netball and football.
Vicki says the tournament, which runs until Friday September 2, offers many highlights including the swimming, basketball and football tournaments where the competition will be “extremely tough”.
She says the swimming event is always special because it is the only national competitive event for the age group.
Vicki is excited about having students coming from four Christchurch schools – after the stress and challenge of last year’s event which started the day after Canterbury’s first earthquake.
“The kids are just amping to get here. Everyone is very excited and looking forward to getting away.”Indoor bowls becomes the 15th competition sport this year, with teams from 11 schools playing for titles. Other sports include badminton, basketball, gymnastics, hockey, multisports, rugby sevens, netball and tennis. The competition programme begins at Welcome Bay’s Waipuna Park at 12.30 on Sunday with the first cross country race.
Along with recognising sporting excellence, the event also placed an important focus on sportsmanship – with a fairplay team award on offer the team displaying the best sportsmanship.
Vicki says it is great the AIMS Games were the first major event at the new TECT Arena at Baypark.
“We are so excited to have this amazing new facility – its’ going to be so good for the opening ceremony as well as the basketball tournament during the week.”
Next year the event goes international with efforts already underway to attract Australian competitors.
The Cross Country will launch the programme with races at Waipuna Park from 12.30am on Sunday. Keep up-to-date throughout the tournament with results, news and action photos at www.sunlive.co.nz
