
Hi, my name is Tamahau, and I'm a Junior Para-Athlete who runs for Achilles International Tauranga. Recently, I competed in the Colgate Games North Island Athletics Championships. To participate as a para-athlete, I had to apply through Athletics New Zealand.
Colgate was held in Napier, a place I had never been to before. It took five hours to drive there, but when we arrived, I found that heaps of other kids competing were also staying at the Top 10 Holiday Park. I made lots of new friends from different running clubs all over New Zealand. It was really cool because, after we competed each day, we would all get together, hang out, play Uno, laugh, and congratulate each other on our achievements. My brother also came down from Linton Army Base to watch me run for the weekend, which was awesome.
I love the Colgate Games because it's the only event where I can run with other junior para-athletes. The officials are very friendly and kind, and they go out of their way to make us feel welcome.
I also had the opportunity to race against New Zealand’s Under-17 Para Sprint Champion, Albert O'Brien. He is in Year 10, very fast, and even set a new New Zealand para sprint record in one of our races. I won a gold medal in the 1500m and silver in the 800m, 400m, 200m, and 100m. On the second day, I was very nervous, but a parent and coach from Greerton Athletics Club let me warm up with their team. They gave me some great sprinting advice, which really helped me in my races.
I think the Colgate Games is perfect for para-athletes who want to give competitive athletics a go because it's super fun and one of the few opportunities we get to compete with other para-athletes in a proper athletics setting. I would love to see more disabled kids giving it a go in the future!
Article added: Tuesday 01 April 2025