Boxing: Nyika's mental resilience to be tested in Sydney bout against Charalampous
But as the cruiserweight boxer steps into the ring tomorrow night against compatriot Nik Charalampous on the undercard of the Sonny Bill Williams-Paul Gallen bout in Sydney, his performance will be telling.
The fight will determine whether the former Olympian
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Otago Daily Times
2 days ago
- Otago Daily Times
Deans confident on eve of world champs
Relaxed looks good on Caitlin Deans. The Dunedin swimmer had a national championships to remember in May when she swam four personal-best times, collected four medals and shattered an Otago record. She claimed bronze in the women's freestyle 200m and 400m, silver in the 800m and gold in the 1500m, slashing nearly 6sec off the Otago record she set in April with a time of 16min 12.18sec. It punched her ticket to her fourth long-course world championships in Singapore as part of a 12-strong New Zealand team. The Paris Olympian will compete in the 800m and 1500m at the meeting which gets under way on Sunday. She also swam under the world qualifying time for the 400m but only two athletes from each country can swim in an event at the world championships. "Really excited to be heading off to my fourth world champs," Deans said. "I don't think the excitement ever dulls, no matter how many times you've been before." Heading into the national championships, Deans had no expectation of where she would finish and was taken aback by her results. "Honestly, it took me by surprise. "I didn't quite expect to be hitting the times that I did at nationals, so I think that gave me a lot of confidence leading up to this meet and confidence in getting a good training block under my belt before worlds." Maybe taking the pressure off suits the 25-year-old. "Nothing that I can think of that was any different. "Probably just more relaxed than usual, because it was my first time having a big break post-Olympics out of the water. "Not having that expectation on myself about how I was going to go probably plays a part in it." Deans made history during her first Olympic campaign. She was part of the women's 4x200m freestyle relay team in Paris alongside former Dunedin swimmer Erika Fairweather, Eve Thomas and Laticia Transom. They were the first Kiwi women's relay team to make an Olympic final, finishing eighth in a stacked field. "Going to the Olympics was pretty surreal. It's something that I've dreamed of since I was a little kid, so to actually fulfil that ... I don't think it's sunk in and I'm not sure if it ever will. "The Olympics is just something else. It's so different to anything else we do, and to experience that is something I'll be forever grateful for." That experience, alongside having raced at three previous world championships, helps the long-distance specialist as she dives into the pool. "It definitely helps and plays a big part. "The more exposure you can get to the international racing scene, the better, and it starts to normalise those big names. "Obviously having an Olympics under the belt helps with that." Working alongside experienced Dunedin coach Lars Humer also helped her development. "Lars bring with him a lot of experience. Obviously I've worked with him for a long time now, so I'm very lucky." Deans is looking forward to putting her best foot forward at the world championships and getting back to racing, not just for herself but for her support network. "I've had a lot of people support me in multiple different ways to get to this world champs, whether it's been their time, or financially, all the work that they've put in to help me get there. "I'm just hoping I can do them, and myself, really proud." Auckland-based Fairweather, the defending women's freestyle 400m world champion, will also race in Singapore, alongside Olympian Lewis Clareburt. Olympian Hazel Ouwehand qualified in the butterfly but made herself unavailable.
Newsroom
3 days ago
- Newsroom
Black belt to black singlet for Kiwi flyer
In her wildest dreams, Kimberley May could never have imagined where life would take her as a collegiate track athlete. Growing up in a well-known karate family in west Auckland, May has her black belt in the martial art. But a primary school cross country star, she was always drawn to running. Now after four years on a college scholarship in the United States, May is one of the fastest-ever Kiwi middle-distance runners – and she's about to wear the black singlet for the first time, at this week's World University Games. The Avondale College student left home in 2021, at the tender age of 18, to take up an athletics scholarship at Providence College in Rhode Island. It's a school famous for developing Kiwi athletes like multiple New Zealand record holder Kim Smith, men's 5000m champion Julian Oakley and reigning 1500m titleholder Laura Nagel. May headed offshore with a personal best time over 1500m of 4m 29s. Kimberley May celebrates her stellar run in Italy. Photo: Internazionale Sport Solidarietà Now, having just graduated, the 22-year-old has slashed that time to 4m 04.40s – run at the Internazionale Sport Solidarietà meeting in Italy —making her the second-fastest Kiwi woman of all time over the 1500m distance, close behind her friend and Paris Olympian Maia Ramsden (who's best time is 4m 02.20s). 'It's actually crazy when I think about the time,' May says, speaking the day after her breakthrough race. 'I was never the best at home, or even before I went to the States. It just shows what you can do.' As May rose through the US college system, so too did her ambition. As a freshman, she looked up to teammates who qualified for the NCAA finals. By her sophomore year, she'd made the finals herself. Then, in her junior year, she finished second – behind none other than Ramsden, running for Harvard University. 'It was pretty special for two Kiwis to be one-two in the NCAA. Maia has set the standard—she's been a great influence on me and my running,' says May. In her final year at Providence, May faced a stacked 1500m field and finished sixth in a highly tactical NCAA final. She's philosophical about the result. 'You never know what's going to happen in a tactical race. But these have been the best four years of my life at Providence,' she says. 'I've learnt so much about how to race all these different kinds of races.' Kimberley May (far right) leads the field in this year's NCAA 1500m semifinal in Eugene, Oregon. A key figure in May's development has been long-time Providence coach and Irishman Ray Treacy. He also guided Kiwi Olympian Smith and Nagel, who ran at her first world indoor champs earlier this year. 'Ray has been amazing. He's taught me how to believe in myself – to believe I can run these times,' May says. She also credits her former coach Graeme Holden back home at Auckland City Athletics for building her up slowly and setting her on the right path. 'He got me to Providence and set me up to run well through college. My parents and I often say how grateful we are for that,' says May. Athletics wasn't always her plan. May grew up in Titirangi in a karate family—her dad, Dennis May, is a 9th Dan black belt and former national coach. Her mum, Trish, and brother, Dylan, also trained in the dojo and hold black belts. But Kimberley knew early on it wasn't for her. 'I did well in the school cross-country, and we had to play a sport at school – so I chose running,' she says. Karate, however, taught her discipline, and she remembers as a kid seeing just how hard her dad worked at his craft. It rubbed off on her. 'I train very hard. I've been training like a college athlete, not a professional. So I know I've still got room to move,' May says. Kimberley May running in the Penn Relays for the Providence Friars in her senior year. Photo: Joe Hale. She is also the second-fastest Kiwi woman over the mile, running 4m 27.85s at the John Thomas Terrier Classic in Boston in January 2024 – overtaking Ramsden on the list, and tucked in just behind Smith, who holds the fastest time of 4m 24.14s, set back in 2008. Now a sociology graduate, May is transitioning to the professional ranks, having signed with New Balance. She'll keep living in the US, and will soon join a new training group to prepare for the next stage of her career. She's planning to return home to her family for Christmas. But first, she'll wear the black singlet and represent New Zealand at the FISU World University Games in Rhine-Ruhr, Germany – part of an 84-strong Kiwi team competing at the world's second-largest multi-sport event after the Olympics. Her first race is this Friday. Over the weekend, she won the 1500m in the KBC Night of Athletics in Heusden-Zolder, Belgium, running 4m 08.34s; a strong final hit-out in her preparation for this week's major meet. After years of racing for her college, May says she's excited to team up with fellow Kiwi student-athletes – and she's not holding back: 'I go into every race wanting to win.'
Scoop
16-07-2025
- Scoop
Olympian Wynd Joins Bike Auckland Board
Press Release – Bike Auckland She joins an experienced board of five at community organisation Bike Auckland. Bike Auckland advocates for a better region for people on bikes. Bike Auckland is thrilled to welcome experienced social policy expert and Olympian cyclist Donna Wynd to its Board. Board Chair Karen Hormann says: 'Donna brings to Bike Auckland experience in governance and in transport policy. She contributes to both the academic and the general media debate on the topics which matter most to Aucklanders. Donna has a perspective on cycling that is both grassroots and high-level strategy thanks to her experience.' Wynd has been cycling in Auckland for many decades as a recreational rider, commuter and New Zealand cycling representative. New board member Wynd shares: 'While cycling infrastructure in Auckland has improved over time, there is still a long way to go to make cycling safe and enjoyable for everyone. I'm excited about helping achieve that by serving on the Bike Auckland Board. It's a crucial period for shaping the future of transport in our beautiful region.' Wynd brings experience in transport policy to the role as well as an understanding of how transport impacts on individuals and communities. She has worked as an economic and policy analyst and has experience in social policy, housing and public health. Wynd was a member of the Alternative Transport Funding Group set up by previous Auckland Mayor Len Brown. Her work in the NGO sector is informed by a strong equity lens, and her governance experience includes serving as a board chair. Her social policy and public health research has been published in a number of respected academic journals. She is also a contributor to mainstream media, her writing appearing in many of our major NZ media outlets. Chief Biking Officer Fiáin d'Leafy welcomes the appointment: 'We love Donna's massive commitment to active transport, and transport equity. We love that she is a proud south Aucklander and a strong voice for South Auckland's communities.' New Zealand Olympian #751, Wynd represented Aotearoa New Zealand in track cycling at the Atlanta 1996 Olympic Games and the Victoria 1994 Commonwealth Games, where she won a spectacular bronze medal. A born and bred Aucklander, Wynd is a proud member of the Ōtāhuhu community. She joins an experienced board of five at community organisation Bike Auckland. Bike Auckland advocates for a better region for people on bikes.
