Exciting times ahead for young rower
Southland teenager Shakira Mirfin is in the New Zealand under-21 women’s rowing team, but her former coach believes she could go further and become an Olympian.
Invercargill Rowing Club coach Jack Allan mentored Mirfin for the past four years and in that time saw her feature prominently at national championships.
‘‘No-one’s got a crystal ball but if anyone wants to and is capable of [competing at the Olympics] it is definitely that young woman,’’ Allan said.
‘‘It’s entirely what Shakira wants to do . . . the world’s her oyster.’’
Mirfin was selected at the end of trials for the New Zealand squad on Lake Karapiro in the Waikato this month. She is studying at Waikato University.
She was in good form for the trials after a win and two placings from three events in senior classes at the national championships at Twizel in February. She successfully defended her title in the singles.
’’It’s pretty cool to be part of the [NZ] team and definitely an honour to represent NZ,’’ Mirfin, 18, said.
She is in the team’s sweeper group – rowers using one oar.
‘‘Making this team is quite a big achievement for me ’cause I’ll be racing in a discipline I’m not familiar with,’’ Mirkin said.
‘‘I’m sweeping, and I’ve pretty much done sculling [two oars] up to now.’’
Mirfin left Southland Girls’ High School last year to study a Bachelor of Science at Waikato University.
When representing New Zealand, Mirfin will be in the eights and coxless pairs and fours.
Being part of an elite team would be a great experience for her, coach Allan said.
‘‘She’s got a fantastic [NZ] team, got fantastic crews to train and race with . . . it’s really exciting for her.’’
Early signs of her talent appeared when, as a 17-year-old, Mirfin was part of New Zealand’s junior women’s quadruple sculls team who won gold at the Junior World Championships in Tokyo.