Hurricanes sign Kiwi-born Japan lock Warner Dearns for 2026 season
The 2.02m , 124kg lock has been allowed a temporary break from his contract with Toshiba Brave Lupus club, in Japan.
'I'm really excited about the opportunity to join the Hurricanes and take on a
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Newsroom
4 hours 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.'
Otago Daily Times
17 hours ago
- Otago Daily Times
King, Andrew poised to debut for Tall Blacks in Asia Cup
A member of Otago basketball's royal family and a son of St Kevin's College have been named in the Tall Blacks squad for the Asia Cup. Both rising guard Mojave King and former Otago Nuggets centre Jack Andrew will be on debut when New Zealand play at the tournament in Jeddah next month. They will be joined by fellow newcomer Dontae Russo-Nance, who played for the Nuggets last year but is now with the Manawatu Jets. The selection of Dunedin-born King, in particular, in the 11-man Asia Cup squad is a significant moment for New Zealand hoops. King, 23, the son of Nuggets great Leonard King and former Otago basketballer Tracey Paul, and grandson of late Otago hoops stalwart John Paul, has spent more of his life in Australia but he has declared his hand for the land of his birth. He became just the third New Zealander drafted into the NBA when he was selected by the Los Angeles Lakers with the 47th overall pick in the 2023 draft, and his rights are now with the New Orleans Pelicans. King, who plays for the Tauranga Whai in the NBL, has impressed Tall Blacks coach Judd Flavell. "We always knew that Mojave was very talented," Flavell said. "When you look at the Tall Blacks in the past, we've had to have a guy that can score, shoot the ball and get hot. And we know Mojave can put on 10-12 points in a short period of time." King averaged 8.5 points for the Breakers in the Australian league last season. He then averaged 22.2 points for the Whai, shooting at a decent 38% clip from three-point range. "His role for us is going to be scoring," Flavell said. "Mojave has that unique skillset that I think past Tall Black teams have really leaned on to carry some of that scoring load." There will be whoops of joy around the halls of an Oamaru school at Andrew's debut selection. Andrew, 24, was a stand-out at St Kevin's before playing 80 games for the Nuggets — helping them win the NBL championship in 2022 — and having two spells with the Perth Wildcats. He flourished when he moved to the Taranaki Airs this year, posting 13.9 points, 8.9 rebounds and 2.2 blocks per game . "Jack has had a phenomenal jump this season," Flavell said. "He just really seemed to grow in confidence as well. For a big man to actually run and have a high activity rate — that's something that we really like about him. "He's been the first man down the floor, he's been active on the glass, and he's had great success in tandem with Carlin (Davison) off the pick and roll. I think those two have been one of the most dynamic duos." Leading Tall Blacks including Shea Ili, Tai Webster, Hyrum Harris and Yanni Wetzell are unavailable for the Asia Cup, leaving Jordan Ngatai (84 caps) and Tohi Smith-Milner (69) as the senior men. New Zealand are in group D with Chinese Taipei, the Philippines, and Iraq. Before the tournament, they have three games in China at the Solidarity Cup and Four Nations tournaments, for which they will also have New Zealand under-19 star Hayden Jones, Jordan Hunt and Luca Yates on the roster. One of those three players will become the 12th and final member of the Asia Cup squad. Tall Blacks Asia Cup squad Jack Andrew, Taylor Britt, Flynn Cameron, Max Darling, Carlin Davison, Ben Gold, Mojave King, Taine Murray, Jordan Ngatai, Dontae Russo-Nance, Tohi Smith-Milner Gold has been selected for Asia Cup only. Jordan Hunt, Hayden Jones and Luca Yates will join squad for preceding Solidarity Cup and Four Nations.
Scoop
18 hours ago
- Scoop
Livi McTaggart Wins The London Diamond League
Press Release – Athletics New Zealand London, UK – 19 July 2025 A sold out 60,000 strong crowd in the London Stadium has elevated Livi McTaggart to produce the performance of her career, winning the 2025 London Athletics Meet. The Kiwi pole vaulter has leaped to a new lifetime best in the process, clearing 4.73m to claim the top spot at the UK's only stop on the Diamond League circuit. McTaggart has won the event ahead of one of the strongest pole vault fields assembled this season. Defeating hometown hero, Molly Caudery (GBR), the 2024 world indoor champion, and Katie Moon (USA), the 2020 Olympic Champion and 2022 and 2023 World Champion. 4.73m eclipses her previous best of 4.71m last jumped just 5 days ago at the Spitzen Leichtathletik meet in Luzern, Switzerland. The height is also the World Athletics Championships 'Entry Standard', all but securing her spot on Tokyo for the World Championships this September. Pending official selection from Athletics New Zealand. While four competitors cleared 4.73m, McTaggart was the only one do to so on her second attempt. With Katie Moon (USA), Angelica Moser (SUI), and Emily Grove (USA) all requiring three attempts at the height. Alongside McTaggart, the four remaining athletes all fell short of clearing the next height in the progression of 4.84m, leaving the Diamond League crown to McTaggart. The Auckland-based vaulter has been training and living in Loughborough, UK for the last several months while she competes on the European circuit. The Diamond League circuit enjoys a brief hiatus over the next few weeks before roaring back in to life again on the 16th of August in Silesia.
