While classes may have been on holiday, our students and staff were far from resting! As the sun (finally) came out, Marsden was represented across the country, achieving outstanding success in a variety of sports and competitions. Here are some highlights:

Riversdale Beach Triathlon

Year 10 students Emma, Emily, and Cleo—competing as The Chipettes—took on the Riversdale Beach Triathlon in challenging conditions, with strong winds and rough seas. Cleo completed the swim, Emily tackled the bike leg, and Emma finished with the run. The team placed 7th overall in the Adults Team category and an impressive 2nd in the Women’s Team category, competing against athletes twice their age. They plan to return next year to take on the challenge again.

Colgate Games – Athletics

Cousins Eden (Year 8) and Monica (Year 9) represented Olympic Harriers Wellington at the North & South Island Colgate Games in Hastings and Christchurch. Both achieved impressive personal bests—Monica ran 12.59s in the 100m, while Eden clocked 12.96s in the 100m and 26.10s in the 200m. A highlight of the competition was their silver medal in the 14-year-old girls’ 4x100m relay.

Tennis Success for Sahana

Sahana (Year 9) has had a remarkable few months in tennis. Competing at the NZ Nationals Individual Championships, she finished 9th in the U14 category and battled hard in the U16 division despite facing the No.1 seed in the first round. In December, she was invited to the Queensland Masters, where she finished 5th-6th, defeating several top-seeded players. Sahana also competed in the ITF J100 International Tournament in Wellington, where she won her opening match against a higher-ranked Australian to make the main draw.

National Māori Basketball Tournament

Eden (Year 8) also represented Ngāti Toa U14 Girls at the National Māori Basketball Tournament in Rotorua. Her team went undefeated throughout the competition, securing the championship title in their grade.

Open Water Ocean Swimming

Marsden Maths teacher Deborah Van Zyl took on an incredible challenge in open water ocean swimming, completing 17.5km of races in just over 25 hours. She earned a gold medal for completing the Epic event and a bronze medal in the 5km race, finishing in 1 hour 25 minutes. Deborah was particularly proud of her 5km effort, navigating tough conditions without walls to flip-turn from.

Sarah Molisa – Junior Tall Ferns Assistant Coach

A huge congratulations to our very own Sarah Molisa, who has been announced as an Assistant Coach for the Junior Tall Ferns. This is an incredible achievement, and we look forward to seeing her continue to inspire young basketballers on the national stage.

Congratulations to all our students and staff on their incredible achievements, what an amazing way to kick off 2025!

Article added: Thursday 30 January 2025