Olive Pearce | Sport

My name is Olive Pearce; I am 16 years old and am in Year 12 at Tauranga Girls’ College.

This year, 2019, I won the Under 16 New Zealand Secondary Schools open water swimming 1.25km championships and I won five medals (two golds, two silvers and one bronze) at the New Zealand National Surf Lifesaving Championships. I was then named in the Surf Lifesaving New Zealand national youth (Under 19) squad. In April I competed in the National Age Group swimming championships, in Wellington, making two finals (top 10 in the country), I won the silver medal in the 16 year old girls in the 50m Freestyle at the New Zealand swimming nationals (October, 2019). Being a national champion, in two different sports this year, has been a thrill.

I am a current National Champion and multiple medallist, both in the surf and in the pool championship version of the sport and really enjoy giving back to the community. I am a qualified lifeguard and really enjoy serving the community by helping protect those in the water. I am equally passionate about my academic success and wish to study Health Sciences to become a Doctor.

In my spare time I swim to stay competitive in the sport and have won multiple Wellington championship and Bay of Plenty championship medals over the years. I hold a Wellington swimming relay record and have been multiple club champion for my age group at Otumoetai swimming club (now called Evolution). I have also been Bay of Plenty Secondary School champion for my age group.

I won three medals (two gold and a bronze) at the Australian Pool Rescue championships on the Gold Coast in August, I also set two New Zealand records. My short term goal is to represent New Zealand at the Lifesaving World Championships in Italy in 2020. I would compete in the Youth section; the team will be selected from the squad I was named in on completion of Surf Lifesaving Nationals.

My longer-term goal is to make the full New Zealand senior team in years to come.

My values are around hard work, excellent preparation, having fun and playing fair.

Kind regards
Olive Pearce