Kiana Pohe | Sport

Kia ora,

Ko Tarapaikea te maunga

Ko Whangawehi te awa

Ko Tuahuru te Marae

Ko Ngati Kahungunu raua ko Rongomaiwahine te iwi

Ko Takitimu te waka

Ko Kiana toku ingoa.

I think that some of who you are today is a result of the individuals you surround yourself with and idolise. While being confronted with challenges as a young athlete I pride myself in knowing that I have always been myself and a representation of who I have been bought up to be and my tipuna who have stood before me. I value hard work, determination being driven and dedication most as an athlete because I believe that they are stepping stones to success. I have high expectations of myself and aspirations which drives my excitement for the future. I have a lot of passion and motivation, both in my academic endeavours and in my chosen sport. I am absolutely sure that when I set my mind to something, I will go above and beyond to make it happen. I started training and competing competitively in Athletics in the 100m, 200m and 400m races when I was 7 years old, while the sport of athletics can be very daunting to others I thrive of competition and am very competitive. I have gained a lot of self growth and valuable lessons about mental toughness, self belief and resilience which I will benefit from in all curriculums present and future.

Being a young Maori wahine and having a strong sense of who I am and where I come from allows me to feel supported and connected at all times, I think I am very fortunate in this aspect of my life as my whanau keep me grounded and my values and key principles of life influence how I develop as an athlete and more importantly as a person. I hope that I inspire or hope to inspire young tamariki that being Maori is something to be proud of and we can all do anything we set our minds to.