Commonwealth swimming gold and silver medalist, Lewis Clarburt and Latricia-Leight Transom "over-lapped" their peers when the winners of the Junior Māori Sportsman and the Junior Māori Sportswoman awards were announced at the Vodafone Events Centre in Manukau tonight.
Seventeen-year-old Lewis Clarburt is a student at Scots College based in Wellington and affiliates to Waikato iwi.
At this year's Commonwealth Youth Games, Clarburt emerged from the pool with 6 medals. Two gold medals in the 200m Freestyle / 400m Individual Medley, and 4 silver medals in the 400m Freestyle, 200m Individual Medley, 200m Butterfly, 4x100m Mixed Medley Relay.
One of the biggest achievements for the Te Tama-ā-Ranginui (Junior Māori Sportsman ) recipient is breaking the national age record in the 400 individual medley.
Winner of the Te Tamāhine-ā-Papatūanuku (Junior Māori Sportswoman) Award, 16-year-old Latricia-Leight Transom affiliates to the Eastern Coastal tribes of Ngāti Kahungunu and Ngāi te Rangi, with links on the West Coast to Te Āti Haunui a Pāpārangi.
Transom was also a member of the 2017 NZ Commonwealth Youth Swim Team, where she secured two golds in 200m freestyle / mixed free relay, and two silver medals in the 100m freestyle and Mixed medley relay.
Congratulations to all of tonight's junior nominees:
Te Tama-ā-Ranginui – Junior Māori Sportsman Sponsored by Mercury
Rugby Tiaan Falcon (Ngāti Porou, Ngāti Kahungunu)
Snowboarding Tiarn Collins (Ngāi Tahu)
Swimming Lewis Clarburt (Waikato)
Te Tamāhine-ā-Papatūanuku – Junior Māori Sportswoman Sponsored by Te Wānanga o Aotearoa
Rugby Terina Te Tamaki (Te Arawa, Waikato, Ngāti Maniapoto)
Swimming Latricia Leight-Transom (Ngāti Kahungunu, Ngāi Te Rangi, Te Ati Haunui a Pāpārangi)
Swimming Mya Rasmussen (Ngāti Kahungunu)