Ashley competes well at Youth Olympic Festival | Taranaki Sport | Surfing, Rugby, Soccer, Football, Cricket in Taranaki

Mountain Motors Squad and Stratford Swimming Club member, Ashley Rupapera, 14yrs, selected in the 16yr and under Youth Olympics, competed in a four-day meet at Home Bush Olympic Stadium, Sydney. Georgia Johnston, 16yrs, residing in Melbourne and representing the Stratford club, was also selected to represent New Zealand. Squad coach Clive Wheeler was selected to the New Zealand coaching panel. The team of 23 swimmers and five coaches assembled at Rotorua for a three-day camp before flying to Sydney for an Olympic experience.

The New Zealand team of 254 athletes and staff, representing a number of sports, paraded for the opening at Darling Habour in a march past which included athletes from China, Hong Kong China, China Taipei, Canada, USA, Oceania, Australia and Japan.

After the march past, the athletes assembled at an open air theatre for introduction to Australian Olympians and a welcome from officials.

They then marched to the Events Centre, a large indoor facility where all athletes were seated, along with members of the public, for an entertaining three hours, with 1200 young people involved in many colourful acts.

During the show the Olympic Torch was lit and the Olympic Flag raised and the Youth Olympics declared open.

Ashley, in the 100m breaststroke, placed fourth, time of 1.13.62, breaking her own Taranaki record of 1.13.93; eighth in the 100m freestyle, time 1.00.23, lowering Jade Shearstone's time of 1.01.50 (Bell Block); 10th in the 200m breaststroke, time of 2.46.76, lowering Ayla Dunlop Barrett's time of 2.48.33 (Bell Block).

Georgia Johnston came eighth in the 100m backstroke, lowering her own Taranaki record time of 1.07.37 by swimming 1.06.62.