Born in a little old house in the backs of Tutakimoa, on Sunday 10th
March 1929, shortly after church. Our inductee into the Cook Islands Sports Hall of Fame has achieved the following:
From 1943 – 1946 he played for the Waikato Colts Rugby Team, and was a member of the Hamilton Technical College that won the Waikato School Athletics Championships. Also during that same period was the winner of the Rowe Cup in Long Jump & Triple Jump events.
From 1947 – 1950 competed in the East Coast Bays Athletics Championships, where he won the East Coast Bay
Cup. Also was noted for his athletic abilities and was a trialist for the 1950 New Zealand Empire Games Team. During that same period he went onto to win the Dominion Breweries Cup in Long Jump.
1951 – 1966 took up the sport of Lawn Bowls and was a member of the Glenfield Bowling Club. He was also the Secretary of the East Coast Bays Athletic Club, Chairman of the Glenfield Parks & Sports Committee, also publisher of the “What’s on, Shore Sports News”.
1967 – 1979 he returned home to Rarotonga to settle down and be with his parents and family. In 1973 he coached the Avatiu Rugby Team, in 1974 moved to the other side of the Island where he coached the Matavera Rugby Team. Also at the same time was the President of the Takuvaine Sports & Cultural Association Inc. In 1979 was selected as a member of the Cook Islands Bowling Team, to the South Pacific Games held in Suva, Fiji. He was the skipper of the Men’s Pairs Team where he and his partner won the Gold.
1981 was appointed as a Life Member of the Rarotonga Bowling Club. At the 1985 South Pacific Mini Games
held on Rarotonga, he was the Chairperson of Ceremonies. In 1987 he was appointed as a Life Member of the Avatiu Sports Association.
In 1999 was awarded by CISNOC a Sports Recognition Award, also that same year age 70 participated in the North Harbour Masters Games held in Auckland, New Zealand, winning the following events Long Jump, Shot Put and Javelin. Topping it of in 2001 awarded an International Olympic Diploma for his services in sports.
Achievements in sports by this inductee are what some of us can only dream of.
Inducted into the Cook Islands Sports Hall of Fame, Tupui Ariki Henry.
Last Modified on 30/04/2008 09:37