Kahia a finalist in Maori sports awards
He may not have left with the Junior Maori Sportsman of the year title but being chosen as a finalist was a huge honour for Taupo’s Faine Kahia.
Last Saturday, Kahia attended the 26th annual New Zealand Maori Sports Awards in Auckland. He was a finalist in the Te-Tama-Ranginui Junior Maori Sportsman of the Year category.
This was the first year Kahia had been nominated for this award and he said attending as a guest last year inspired him to work hard.
‘‘That motivated me even more to continue on my own pathway to success, then hopefully one day, it would be my turn to be a finalist,’’ he said.
Kahia added that being nominated was great but to be chosen as a finalist was huge.
‘‘I think it’s awesome as a motorsport athlete to be acknowledged in this way,’’ he said.
‘‘I have to work as hard as any other fulltime athlete to represent New Zealand well at international level.’’
There were 95 nominees across all the categories and Kahia was up against two other finalists for Junior Maori Sportsman of the Year - Reiko Ioane for Rugby and Rugby 7’s and Tokomaru Taylor for Muay Thai. The title went to Ioane. While this was the first time Kahia had been nominated for the this award, he has been nominated a few times for the Taupo District Sports Awards over the years.
‘‘It was truly an incredible feeling to have received this year’s three major awards at the Taupo District Sports Awards,’’ he said. ‘‘I am truly grateful for that.’’ Kahia attended the awards night with his Koro, ex Maori All Black, Maniapoto.
Now the awards night is over, Kahia is all focused on what’s next for him in the world of racing.
He is currently leading the Formula 4 Southeast Asia Championship and there are three more rounds to go.
Kahia will be flying out to Malaysia soon for the next round which will take place December 09-11 and then the team will head to Thailand early January for the next round.
The final round will be back in Malaysia on January 21-22nd.
‘‘I’ve been looking into a variety of options after F4 but right now my main focus is to keep extending my championship lead in this series.’’