After Winning the Most Valuable Players Award for Waikato, the young Maori boy soars with confidence.
For 16-year-old Te Hoka o Te Rangi Wanikau, the Halberg Games has been a deeply meaningful experience, with every event he competed in and excelled in, marking a step forward in his journey with sports.
Born prematurely with a rare form of cerebral palsy, his early days were filled with uncertainty. Doctors initially believed he had suffered a stroke, and until he was four, his condition remained unclear. He struggled to chew, swallow and talk.
“We were told he wouldn’t be able to eat or talk,” recalled his mother, Irena. “I thought he is special. Maybe I could nurture a future Paralympian,” she said, reflecting on the support of her late husband, who stood beside her through the early years until he passed away five years ago. That belief felt closer than ever now.
At the Games, Te Hoka was awarded the Most Valuable Player for Waikato, a moment that brought both pride and confidence to the fore. “I didn’t expect it,” he said. “But it feels nice. It makes me think I can do better and work more on myself.”
He feels immense satisfaction thinking of all the trials he’s faced so far. With time, treatment, and support from his parents and siblings, he defied what life gave him and decided to carve his own path. Today, with an aim of becoming a sparky and now a future in sports to look at, he feels he can do it all.
His journey has not been without challenges. Diagnosed at Starship Hospital, Te Hoka’s condition brought additional complexities as he grew, including generalised ligament laxity, which caused frequent shoulder dislocations. Physiotherapists worked closely with him to develop muscle around his joints, a process that’s ended.
Despite this, sport was not always an easy option. Recurring ear infections meant his mother often kept him away from water. The infections were severe, leading to six grommet surgeries and two operations to treat perforated eardrums — and at times triggered seizures.
In fact, just a week before the Halberg Games, Te Hoka experienced five seizures in two days while training. Yet, he showed up. Competing at his first Halberg Games, Te Hoka took on every opportunity, taking part in swimming, athletics, rock climbing, rowing and basketball. And in one of the most emotional moments of the Games, he surprised his mom.
“I didn’t know he could swim so well until today,” said Irena, an emotional and proud mum. Having been involved in a local swimming club for over a decade, the discovery of her son’s ability in the water came as a powerful and unexpected moment.
For Irena, the journey to this point has been long and, at times, isolating. Living in Tūrangi, access to treatment and sporting opportunities is difficult. “There were times I felt really dejected as the minimum travel for even treatment would be one and a half hours if not four,” she admitted. “It’s not easy when you’re in a remote area. Getting to appointments is a challenge, let alone sport.”
But she’s never stopped persevering. And now believes with more conviction than ever before.
For Te Hoka, the experience has been fulfilling in every sense. “It’s been a safe and inclusive environment,” he said. “The support from my team, the staff and volunteers was been incredible. I’ve never felt this much fun and enthusiasm before.”His mother agreed. “I have found so many positive people around and its very uplifting.”
“We didn’t come here to win, we came for the experience,” she said. “And it’s been like nothing we’ve had before. My son wasn’t bullied or put down here. That means everything.”
Growing up in Tūrangi, she says, can be tough, but it has also shaped Te Hoka’s resilience. He has been punched in the face, including having injuries that required surgery, but continues to show up with a smile and a confidence that shines through.
“It takes a village to raise a child,” Irena said. “Even though we’re from a remote area, our family has always been there for us.”
“I love swimming and basketball the most,” he said, already looking ahead. And as he reflects on his first Halberg Games experience, there is no hesitation about what comes next. “I’ll definitely be back next year, and I want to try even more sports.”
For a young man once told what he wouldn’t be able to do, Te Hoka o Te Rangi Wanikau is now showing exactly what is possible, one milestone and one belief at a time.
