Sports Stars Support Taupo Tamariki Day

Sports Stars Support Taupo Tamariki Day

More than 1600 school children from throughout the central North Island will converge on Taupo this Friday (Dec 6) for a massive Maori sports event.

The Tamariki Sport and Cultural Day is held the day before the prestigious Maori Sports Awards to give children the chance to rub shoulders with Maori sports role models.

Ngati Tuwharetoa is hosting the 2002 awards ceremony at the Taupo Events Centre this Saturday night (Dec 7).

A powhiri for the tamariki day will be held at Taupo's Owen Delany Park in Centennial Drive at 10am this Friday followed by a mass aerobics class, sports and activities, a concert and cultural performances before the 1.30pm poroporoaki (farewell).

Maori sports role models such as Dallas Seymour, Farah Palmer, Matthew Cooper and Jackie Buckley-Gray (rugby) as well as tennis players Rewa Hudson and Tracey O'Connor and taekwondo's Tia Mataira will join in the activities which will include break dancing, kite flying, beach volleyball, gymnastics, touch and cricket.

The schools involved include Kuratau, Wairakei, Hirangi, Marotiri, Turangi, Whakamaru, Tauranga Taupo, Tirohanga, Waitahanui, Mangakino Area School, Mt View and Tauhara.

The tamariki day is supported by the Smokefree brand, Auahi Kore, as well as Sport Waikato, SPARC, ALAC, LTSA, He Oranga Poutama, Lion Nathan, Mighty River Power, Trillian Trust, Tip Top, Griffins and the Mad Butcher.

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