HMB kids have competed off the Island in swimming, athletics, mountain biking, Lit Quiz and triathlon this year so far and we have had some amazing results...

At the Southland Secondary Schools Triathlon in Winton, Ryan won a silver medal in the Year 7 boys individual race and Fionn (swim), Shay (bike) and Kate (run) won silver in the Year 7 mixed teams race. Ngakau competed in the Year 8 boys individual race and wasn’t far off the medals either. Ka pai everyone what a fantastic adventure!

Congratulations to Ryan MK who competed at the Otago/ Southland Secondary Schools Mountain Biking Champs in Dunedin in February.  Ryan was placed 3rd in the U13 boys' cross country and 6th in the U13 boys' enduro.  Ka pai Ryan!

Eight students competed in the Kid Lit Quiz in Gore last Thursday. It was the toughest bunch of questions our school has experienced with this competition (from the adults’ perspective), but the kids didn’t bat an eye! They held their own, put their heads together demonstrating teamwork and good quizzing etiquette, and answered everything they could. The two teams placed 18th and 21st out of 30 teams with scores of 49 and 46.5. The “older” team of Fionn, Moby, Bree and Kate got the TOP SCORES in THREE categories earning them all Whitcoulls vouchers!! The other team of “quiz noobs” Ava, Charlie, Ryan and Sayla were super proud of themselves for successfully using educated guesses when they didn’t know an answer. All of the students were all-smiles and impressed everyone they encountered with their good manners and great attitudes. We were also able to tell Quizmaster Wayne Mills that his quiz was the inspiration for the island Myths & Legends club which started last year.

HUGE thumbs up to the 14 tamariki that represented the kura at the Southern Zone swimming sports at Gorge Road. To list every individual placing would be a mammoth task but it is safe to say our swimmers stood out!! We had first placings in 90% of all the races and won the inter-school relay by half a length. Special congratulations do have to go to Ryan D & Elise who although are only Year 3 swum in the Year 4 races. Ryan won both his races and Elise was 2nd in both hers! Ryan MK and Ava were also unbeatable across the board in the Year 7&8 and Year 5&6 sections respectively.

Southland Swimming Championships were held last Sunday at Splash Palace. Ten swimmers from HMB went and all represented the kura with pride. Ryan D won 25m backstroke and was second in 25m freestyle for 8-year-old boys.  Ava was 8th in breaststroke and Ryan MK, Kate, Bree and Fionn got third in the Year 7&8 relay. Awesome effort & big thanks to Pete for coaching our swim squad every Tuesday & Thursday morning since last November!