Inspiring our athletes

In Totara Whanau we are encouraging our NZ athletes at the Rio Olympics by sending messages of support. You can send as many inspirational messages as you like and at the same time go into the draw to win prizes too. Be the inspiration

Here are some of the emails Totara have written

Dear:  Valerie Adams

Valerie Adams you are in the New Zealand Olympic team because you are a good New Zealand shot put thrower. I have been learning some facts about you and you look very strong. Well done on getting the New Zealand shot put record. I like watching you throw  your shot put I hope I can be as good as at shot putting.   

Valerie you are a great role model to me. You have inspired me to achieve my gold level in life. Valerie Adams I like how you use your perseverance and determination muscles. Good luck Valerie I hope you get a gold medal and remember go hard the whole way don’t stop until the end. I will be watching you on the tv.

From Ryan

Dear Mark Todd,

Hello, my name is Isabelle

I love anything Equestrian  and I know that you do to. I have fallen off a few times which is very painful. I started horse riding at a place called Acres Wild. The most sorest part of it is that I have fallen off the tallest horse there. That horse's name was Ash. The first horse I have ridden was called Celeste. She is beautiful but the only sort of bad thing about it is that she is VERY speedy and easy to move. So when you do 1 little cluck and squeeze she will start trotting! I know that you were born in Ellerslie. But you have moved to England to help coach other Athletes to become better equestrians. I have been researching you for a little while. I know that you started the Olympics 46 years ago which was in 1970. I love watching you do equestrian sports.

You are such a role model. You have inspired me by riding so well. You have been using two of my favourite learning muscles. Perseverance and determination.

Good luck Mark. Go New Zealand. (Maybe England as well) I hope you win the Olympics.

From Isabelle F

Parkvale School.

Hastings.

Dear Shakira

I am thrilled to see your outstanding rugby skills at the Rio Olympics on the T.V. Our learners had to research about someone that was special in the Olympics and I chose you because you inspire me with your rugby sevens Dedication. I enjoy playing rugby sevens because this is something new I have tried. I have represented Parkvale School playing a tournament of rippa rugby. I am going to watch your determination on the T.V at the Rio Olympics and I know how hard it could be.

My favourite accomplishment is probably been able to support my school in the rippa rugby tournament. When I grow up I honestly want to have the determination that you have. I will tell when I watch on the T.V at the Rio Olympics that you take a serious face with you, when you play against the other athletic women in the rugby sevens.

I want to give you this message out loud and say a big good luck at the Rio olympics 2016. I know you should hear me on the T.V supporting you, and when you come back with your gold medal I am positive that I will have all the determination and dedication that you have. Have a wonderful journey at the Rio Olympics 2016

( GOOD LUCK! )

From Aspen

Dear Samuel

Congratulations for getting selected  for the NZ Olympic team. Our class has been researching about an athlete. I picked you because I love mountain biking and you inspired me to go mountain biking.  Amazing work on getting silver in the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow. I like watching mountain biking and people doing cool tricks.

You are a role model to people around you and when you bike you inspired me to work hard on my work and be a biker. You use perseverance & determination in your biking.

Good luck on the Olympics wish you a good time go go go!!.

From Oliver

Dear Courtney

I am excited to watch you compete in four different apparatus  at the Rio Olympics.  I have read a lot about you and I think you are a super star . At school we had to chose one  special person and learn a lot  about them,  I  chose you because you really inspire me . I am also involved in a gymnastics club and compete in competitions  every week or month. This is my first year in competitive gymnastics and I know how hard it can be .

My favorite apparatus is bar because it makes me smile  and I learn new things . When I am grown up I definitely want to be like you and train to have that Olympics dream.  

I wish you good luck in your long journey.

Go New Zealand go Courtney!

From Annaliese

To Dylan

Hi my name is Liam and I am very excited to watch you compete for the New Zealand Olympic team at the Rio 2016 Summer Modern Olympics.

 At School we had to choose an athlete to write about and I chose you because I really like trampolines. I wasn’t sure what you did to do with trampolining until I watched a video and all I thought was THAT. IS. JUST. AMAZING. I. HAVE. TO. DO. HIM. FOR. MY. SLIDE. I put the video on my slide about you because I just HAD to. I watched a video on the men’s semifinals when you did your part. When it finished I was speechless. I had to check your age again on the website and when I saw you were 19 my brain exploded.

You have inspired me to keep on persevering when things get tough on everything I do. I like jumping and doing tricks on a trampoline as well as watching and playing soccer (As well as writing and drawing). You have been persevering and keeping on going when things were tough and look where you are! I hope I become an Olympian too when I grow up. I really like the fact that you are only 19 and you are going to be the first ever person from NZ to compete in the Trampolining competition for the Olympics.

I hope you have fun because that’s really all it’s about. I will be screaming at the TV along with everyone else in New Zealand (If I am awake when you have your go at trampolining). I hope you have fun and win the Gold Medal at the 2016 Rio Olympics. I will be watching you and screaming at the computer (If I am awake at that time) GO DYLAN SCHMIDT!!! GO NEW ZEALAND!!!! GO DYLAN SCHMIDT!!!(don’t be surprised if you hear a big crack in the middle of the Olympics, it is probably my TV breaking because of how loud I am screaming at it).

I hope you persevere and win the Gold Medal at the Olympics. Good luck and have fun!

From Liam W-S.

Dear Lisa Carrington

In class we’ve been learning all about the Olympics and about whose competing , everybody in class chose an athlete to study and I chose you, I chose you because you train hard and never give up! You play a really unique sport and I love what you do.

I have honestly learnt so much about you and how you are going to Rio this August. I really have the highest hopes for you to come back with a gold medal around your neck with no injuries!

I can’t even believe how hard you train and how long you do it,

After you have finished competing I hope get a chance to look around and explore Rio as it looks pretty amazing.

At the end of last year I tried racing my sister in a kayak and my arms just go sore halfway through the race so that shows that you have true talent. I love how you inspire all of us to never give up and to keep trying!

All the best Lisa, I truly know you will do your best for New Zealand and I will be watching!

Claire M

Age 11

Parkvale school Hastings  

Dear Akira Ioane,

I wish you and the Sevens team good luck at the Rio Olympics and bring home Gold or another medal. Everyone in the hub had to research someone who is going to the Olympics in 2016 and I choose you because you are my favorite rugby player. My favorite sport is rugby because it is fun and I enjoy it and my position is a front rower. My favorite Super Rugby team is the Blues and they beat the top 2 teams in the Australian competition. You are a special player to me and your brother Rioke Ioane is special too because you are really cool and the Blues are my favorite super rugby team.

Russia are not being role models because they took drugs and some of their sports got kicked out. Every country is being role models but Russia.You have inpired me to be a good rugby player and achieve my dreams of being a rugby player. I hope you show determination and perseverance in rugby sevens and win. Try your best to try to win and get into the semi final’s or the final.

I hope you and the NZ Sevens team wins.I send you the best of luck and the NZ team at Rio 2016.

From Kieron

Parkvale School

Dear Genevieve-Behrent

Hi my name is Kasaiyah and I have been researching you because we had to chose an athlete. I chose you because you are so amazing at rowing. Congratulations for making it into the NZ Olympic team, I am so proud of you. Something special about you is that you are unique and talented and work really, really hard and you are trying your best at rowing. The sport that I like doing and watching at school is netball.  I work really really hard just like you and I try my best.

I have to  work with my teammates just like you have to  work with your 7 teammates.  It  is really fun and hard but I keep on trying just like you.You are a role model because you alwas encareg (encourage) people to do their best. You have inspired me to try my best and start learning how to row and how to work better with my  team. I love watching you row, it is amazing how much you are into it.

I hope that you get a gold medal for trying your best. I think that it is amazing that this is the first time that they have the first 8 girl rowing team at the Olympics. Last night I was watching you from NZ and it was amazing.Good luck with all of your rowing races.

From Kasaiyah  

Dear Andrea

New Zealand’s Olympic team is supporting you, because you are New Zealand’s best triathlete. The whole country is counting on you. You can win a gold medal in Rio! Our class has been researching about athletes we choose. I chose you and found a lot of information about you.I want to join the Olympics. You won a gold on your first triathlon wow!

It must of been very hard to win, you must of trained everyday. I like to play Netball. I played for 3 years and I always try my best to get a goal. I am always very proud of my effect (effort).

Athletes are great role models except for Russia that took drugs and cheated. But the other athletes are better than that they are super role models. You inspire me to compete in the Olympics when I grow up I am going to compete in the triathlon. You inspire me to compete in more and more triathlons. Try your best and keep on training everyday. I’m counting on you and know you can just win a medal.

Good luck From Jada

To Eric Murray

I hope you have a good time in the Olympics Village with Hamish.  

I hope you  win a gold medal at the Olympics just like you did at the 2012 Olympics. At  school I have been doing heaps of research about you.

You have inspired me to do what I want to do and keep trying at it.Go go go New Zealand!

From

Jack B

Hastings

Parkvale School

  
I have met you in Cambridge and had a picture taken with you.