It’s been a huge year for the Academy Southland programme with past and present athletes competing on the international stage and a new naming rights sponsor coming onboard for 2025.

The Academy, which will celebrate its 20th anniversary next year, provides a range of support for Southland’s leading young sportspeople.

Amongst the athletes in the two-year programme, track cyclists Caitlin Kelly and Riley Faulkner were part of the New Zealand team sprint that won silver at the junior world championships, while Jack Heslip (claybird shooting) and Noah Smith (taekwondo) also represented New Zealand at their respective junior world championships.

Foundation and Leadership Year athletes recognised

Heslip’s commitment in the first year of the Academy programme saw him recognised for his outstanding performance and commitment to the Foundation Year (first year) for 2024.

Academy co-ordinator Carly Anderson said the talented young shooter had made the most of the opportunities presented to him.

Caption: Active Southland chief executive Vanessa Hughey-Pol with Foundation Year athlete Jack Heslip after receiving the Active Southland award for outstanding performance and commitment.

“Jack has shown plenty of dedication this year, including regularly travelling from Te Anau to take part in the programme. His attention to detail and his willingness to follow up with providers and include his support team have been a standout.”

Talented runner James McLeay and motorbike racer Cormac Buchanan have been jointly recognised for their performance and commitment amongst the Leadership Year athletes.

McLeay won his first national title, represented New Zealand at the world secondary schools cross country championships and made the final of the 1500m at the world under 20 athletics championships.

McLeay’s performances across the year were outstanding, Academy manager Jason McKenzie said.

“James is achieving at a level very few Southland athletes have before and we’ve also seen him grow as a person a lot over the past two years. He has become a real leader at Southland Boys’ High School and his academic achievements are also superb.”

Buchanan finished second in his final race in the FIM JuniorGP, his third podium result of the season,, to finish fifth overall for the junior world championships. He recently signed a professional contract to race in Moto3 next year, becoming the first New Zealander in nearly 25 years to compete in the MotoGP ranks.

“Cormac continues to make history in his sport and despite being based overseas for much of the year, he has engaged with the programme whenever possible. We are excited to follow the next chapter in his career,” McKenzie said.

Representing on the biggest stage

A highlight for this year’s programme was seeing five Academy graduates competing for New Zealand at the Paris Olympics, including cyclists Nicole Shields, Tom Sexton and Corbin Strong, Black Ferns sevens player Alena Saili and javelin thrower Tori Peeters.

Saili became the first Southlander to win two Olympic golds, with the Black Ferns defending their gold medal from Tokyo, while Shields was a silver medallist in the women’s team pursuit.

Successful partnerships

The programme was also enjoying its partnership with High Performance Sport New Zealand, including providing ongoing support for athletes who choose to stay in Southland after graduating the Academy.

A partnership with Active Southland’s Rangatahi Leadership Programme was also providing ongoing benefits, with talented rugby league player Sualo Lafoga the latest athlete to make use of the pathway into the Academy.

New naming sponsor for 2025

McKenzie was excited to have the ILT as its major sponsor as the programme prepares to reflect on two decades of sporting success.

“When you look at why Southlanders are able to achieve on the national and international stage, the ILT are often a significant factor in that, so this is a partnership that just makes sense for us,” McKenzie said.

The Academy also receives significant contributions from Community Trust South and ILT Foundation amongst its family of funders and sponsors.

ILT president Paddy O’Brien said the community funder was thrilled to step up as naming sponsor after supporting the Academy for many years.

“As a region, we take pride in our strong sporting culture, and programmes like the Academy play a big part in that success. They not only help athletes excel in their chosen fields but also equip them with essential life skills and valuable perspectives along the way.”

Article added: Monday 02 December 2024