Liam finds niche in athletics

SHIRLEY WHYTE/The Southland Times

NATURAL ABILITY: Tuatapere Community College all-round athlete Liam Smith, 15, with some of the sporting equipment he enjoys using at the college gymnasium.

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Tuatapere community college student Liam Smith has found his niche on the sports field.

Since the 15-year-old disabled athlete was introduced to the athletics world four years ago he has excelled with his natural ability and is greatly encouraged and supported by his family and school.

Swimming, golf, basketball, tenpin bowling, cricket, running, shot put and discus are just some of his favourite sports.

Liam attended the New Zealand secondary schools competition held in Timaru in November, breaking New Zealand secondary schools records in the discus and shot put and winning bronze in the 200m.

His proud mum, Wendy Haywood, said it was really good for Liam to participate in athletics.

"Entering three events in the New Zealand secondary schools, getting two gold and one bronze medal was amazing for him. It's been great for him.

"He's become a different boy and he has grown within himself. Liam has never thought of himself as different.

"He is popular with the other kids and he has proven that children with disabilities can do it," Haywood said.

Liam also won the Southland secondary schools sportsperson of the year award for a person with a disability last year.

He competed in the Southland secondary schools championships held at Surrey Park on March 6.

The AWD ID (athletes with disabilities, intellectual disability) athlete ran a superb record-breaking 400m in 61.89, smashing his own shot put record with an impressive 8.66m and added over 4m to the discus record he set last year with a throw of 24.78m.

Having such a brilliant championship allowed Liam to attend the Otago/Southland secondary schools championships on Saturday, where he was first in the 400m race, and second in the shot put, discus and 200m.

With these results he qualified for the South Island competition in Dunedin next weekend.

Liam said he knows he can do it and, with the great support crew he has cheering him along, he is confident. "It's in there I think. I've just got to find it on the day," he said.

Liam is successfully mainstreamed into year 10 classes with his peers. "The younger kids look up to me – they have to because I'm a lot taller than them. They have to jump to give me a high five."

Tuatapere Community College head of physical education and athletics team manager Richard Bennett said Liam was a very able sportsman and has a great competitive spirit.

Outside school, Liam's interests include pig hunting with his family, playing golf, fishing and eeling in the back creek of his family's dairy farm and helping out on the farm.

- © Fairfax NZ News

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