By Gabe Bowen

Ella Quinlivan was cool as a cucumber lining up for her first race in the Zespri AIMS Games. 

“I didn’t really have any nerves, it just felt like every other row I have done,” the 11-year-old Ngātīmoti School pupil told the AIMS Gamer after crossing the finish line. 

That’s probably because she’s done what she came here to do, which was win a medal. 

“I’m very competitive, so to pick up a medal is awesome,” said Ella, reeling with excitement after winning bronze in the canoe slalom event.

“Seeing my dad who got me into the sport smile when I got my medal made me super proud.”

Gold was in the palm of her hands, however her kayak unfortunately tipped over in her semi-final.

“I tried rolling back over myself, but couldn’t as I had a problem with my spraydeck so I just had to wait for help, if I had got back up on my own I still would have won the race.”

When she rolled, Ella was in front of her opponent who eventually went on to win the race.

The kayaker from Motueka Valley had been training for her first AIMS appearance in the local swimming pool after flooding in the Tasman district made it virtually impossible.

Plus, the nearest lake was about an hour’s drive away from her home.

Out of more than 14,000 competitors in this year’s week-long intermediate-aged sporting showcase in Tauranga, Ella was the first competitor representing the Tasman district for many years. 

Ella said she enjoyed racing Tauranga’s McLaren Falls course. 

“It was a simple course really, it was just trying to nail my turns to make me go faster, the only hard part would have been the wind and the rain.”

The teen has already lined up her next event with the aim of picking up gold at the school nationals in Kawerau next year.

“I have been talking to the other competitors about attending it too, so it would be good to see them there for that,” she said. 

Ella also competed in the canoe racing event where she finished second in the B Final after picking up two thirds in her heats.

Article added: Friday 05 September 2025