Terina Lily Te Tamaki (born 1 May 1997) is a New Zealand rugby union player.

Terina Te Tamaki
Date of birth (1997-05-01) 1 May 1997 (age 26)
Height1.65 m (5 ft 5 in)
Weight69 kg (152 lb)
Rugby union career
Position(s) Hooker
National sevens team(s)
Years Team Comps
2016–Present New Zealand 59 (25)
Medal record
Women's rugby sevens
Representing  New Zealand
Olympic Games
Silver medal – second place 2016 Rio de Janeiro Team competition

Family and private life edit

Te Tamaki was born in 1997.[1] Sevens player Isaac Te Tamaki is her elder brother.[1][2] Teresa Te Tamaki is her cousin.[3][4] Of Māori descent, Te Tamaki affiliates to the Te Arawa, Waikato and Ngāti Maniapoto iwi.[5] She received her education at Hamilton Girls' High School.[1]

Rugby career edit

Te Tamaki used to watch her elder brother play rugby for Hamilton Boys' High School and thought the sport was not for her, as it was too scary and had too much contact. But the Girls' High coach, former Black Fern Crystal Kaua, convinced her to start the sport.[3] It became her dream to make it to the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo.[3]

Te Tamaki was contracted to the New Zealand women's sevens team in January 2016[6][7] and made her debut at the USA Women's Sevens.[8][9] She was selected for New Zealand's women's sevens team to the 2016 Summer Olympics.[10][11][12] She won a silver medal with the team and broke a New Zealand record held since the 1952 Summer Olympics by becoming the country's youngest female medallist.[13] However, she only held the honour for 18 months until the record broken again by 16-year-old Zoi Sadowski-Synnott at the 2018 Winter Olympics.[14]

Te Tamaki was named as a travelling reserve for the Black Ferns Sevens squad to the 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham.[15][16]

References edit

  1. ^ a b c "Terina Te Tamaki". New Zealand Rugby Union. Retrieved 20 August 2016.
  2. ^ "Isaac Te Tamaki". New Zealand Rugby Union. Retrieved 20 August 2016.
  3. ^ a b c Atkinson, Matt (2 August 2016). "Out of school and into the Rio Olympics for Waikato teenager Terina Te Tamaki". Stuff.co.nz. Retrieved 20 August 2016.
  4. ^ "Teresa Te Tamaki". New Zealand Rugby Union. Retrieved 20 August 2016.
  5. ^ "43 Māori athletes to head to Rio Olympics". Te Karere. 5 August 2016. Retrieved 6 August 2016.
  6. ^ "Rugby sevens: Plenty of experience in women's squad". New Zealand Herald.co.nz. 19 January 2016. Retrieved 30 July 2016.
  7. ^ Strang, Ben (18 January 2016). "Teen Te Tamaki in NZ Sevens squad". Stuff.co.nz. Retrieved 30 July 2016.
  8. ^ "NZ women's Sevens name three newcomers for Atlanta and Langford tournaments". tvnz.co.nz. 30 March 2016. Retrieved 30 July 2016.
  9. ^ "Three newcomers in NZ women's sevens". radionz.co.nz. 30 March 2016. Retrieved 30 July 2016.
  10. ^ "Men's and Women's Sevens". radionz.co.nz. 22 July 2016. Retrieved 30 July 2016.
  11. ^ "New Zealand names sevens teams for Rio Games". usatoday.com. 2 July 2016. Retrieved 30 July 2016.
  12. ^ "Historic first for Rugby Sevens as 24 athletes named for Olympic Games". Olympic.org.nz. 1 July 2016. Retrieved 30 July 2016.
  13. ^ Alderson, Andrew (21 August 2016). "Rio Olympics 2016: Lydia Ko wins silver for New Zealand's 17th medal". The New Zealand Herald. Retrieved 21 August 2016.
  14. ^ "2018 Winter Olympics: Zoi Sadowski-Synnott claims bronze for NZ's second-ever medal". Stuff. 22 February 2018.
  15. ^ "Rugby Sevens teams named for Commonwealth Games". allblacks.com. 29 June 2022. Retrieved 4 July 2022.
  16. ^ "Experienced New Zealand sevens squads revealed for Commonwealth Games". Stuff. 29 June 2022. Retrieved 4 July 2022.

External links edit