Description
I got my first dive gear when I was 5. My mum said that after I used that gear for the first time I told her it was the most exciting thing I had ever done in my life! My Mum used to tow me around behind her on her float line until I was eventually diving by myself.
My sport involves me diving to over 20 metres and lying on the bottom for up to 2 minutes holding my breath. I train every week through my crossfit, Gym sessions, hockey and diving every weekend. I believe in giving back to the sports I love and also coach a Netball team.
By the time I was 12 I won the New Zealand Women’s Under 18 Spearfishing Nationals. At 13 I won the New Zealand under 16 Mixed, the Junior Photography Nationals and the best Underwater Photo in the open grade against the men. This year I won the New Zealand Junior Womens and Mixed Spearfishing Nationals, the Junior Underwater Photography Nationals and was selected for the New Zealand Open Womens Spearfishing team. In March we won the Inter Pacific Spearfishing Competition against other nations including Australia, Hawaii, Guam, Tahiti and New Caledonia. I was so proud to win this event for my country.
After this I was invited at short notice to compete for New Zealand in the USOA International Spearfishing Competition in Arkansas USA. My parents have been able to pay for my father to travel with me as I am a minor and to be my safety diver in the competition. I have been sponsored $2000 by NZ company Wettie Wetsuits plus gear for the competition but require a further $2000 to pay for the rest of the expenses.
It will be really exciting to be able to compete for New Zealand in a really major International Competition like this. We have a real chance of winning this event and putting New Zealand on the map yet again.
ALEX NEEDS HELP TO GET TO THE USOA INTERNATIONAL SPREAFISHING COMPETITION IN THE USA
HIGHEST SPORTING ACHIEVEMENTS
2x NZ Under 16 Spearfishing Champion
2x NZ Junior Womens Spearfishing Champion
2x NZ Underwater Photography Champion
1x NZ Junior Champion
Third NZ Open Womens SpearfishingChampionship
SPORTING GOALS
To continue to represent NZ in the Women’s Interpacific Competition
To place in the 2016 International Spearfishing Championship in Arkansas, USA.
To win the next 3 NZ Junior Spearfishing Nationals
To win the NZ Womens Spearfishing Nationals
To study Marine Biology or Oceanography at University
