Life in the fast lane: then and now

Rebekah Greene claims victory in last weekend’s 10km run at the Queenstown Marathon. Photo: Hayden McAndrew

In 2004 the Otago Daily Times kicked off a series to profile the rising stars in Otago secondary school sport. The series was called The Fast Lane and it remains a feature of our secondary sport page every other week. But where do they all go? How many of them crack the top? As another school year draws to a close Jeff Cheshire looks back at the 2008 class.

Samara Gallaher
Kavanagh College
Basketball

Then: Made the Junior Tall Ferns (New Zealand under-19) as a 15-year-old and had dreams of playing overseas.

Now: Went on to play for the Tall Ferns and spent time at college in the United States, as well as playing in Australia and at home for the Otago Gold Rush. Was forced into retirement after a series of head knocks and is now a personal trainer in Melbourne.

David Cassie
Taieri College
Underwater hockey

Then: Made the New Zealand under-19 underwater hockey team to travel to Durban to defend its world title.

Now: Completed a computer science degree at the University of Otago and now lives in Wellington."

Charlotte Kelly
Taieri College
Cycling

Then: Won four gold medals at the New Zealand track cycling championships less than a year after taking up the sport following a switch from equestrian when her top horse was injured.

Now: Continued to have success in cycling at a national level over the next couple of years. Believed to no longer be in the sport.

Kane Russell back in Dunedin for Christmas in 2015 prior to heading away for the Rio Olympics the following year. Photo: Peter McIntosh

Ben Bennett
King’s High School
Surfing

Then: Won silver in the under-16 stand-up surfing category of the national scholastic championships, beating 40 others.

Now: Still surfs and is now a builder. Recently returned to Dunedin after spending time in Australia.

Geordi Dearns
King’s High School
Surfing

Then: Won a national surfing title in the under-18 kneeboard category.

Now: Lives in Sweden and, after taking a hiatus from surfing, returned to the sport in a Swedish competition.

Leroy Rust
Logan Park High School
Surfing

Then: Won the under-18 longboard national surfing title.

Now: Had some success surfing competitively in the following years. Continues to surf recreationally and is managing director of the Hydro Surf Shop.

Geordi Dearns, Leroy Rust and Ben Bennett were all coming off a successful time in the surf in 2008. Photo: ODT FIles

Renee Johnson
Kaikorai Valley College
Basketball

Then: Had just been named in the Emerging Tall Ferns and was preparing for the 2009 Fiba Oceania under-17 championships. Days later won a national championship with the Otago under-17 team.

Now: Played for the Otago Gold Rush and was part of the 2011 WBC winning team. Is now a teacher in Wanaka.

Todd Johnston
Otago Boys’ High School
Athletics

Then: Was a promising sprinter who had just been selected to represent New Zealand for the first time at the Commonwealth Youth Games. Also won several medals at national championship events.

Now: Ran a 100m personal-best of 11.03 in 2009, but had an injury-plagued time after leaving school. Has not been seen on the track for a few years, although is training and hopeful of making a comeback this season. Still in Dunedin and works at Pact.

Mark Taylor
Lawrence Area School
Motorsport

Then: Won the New Zealand ministocks federated track title.

Now: Relocated to Christchurch and continues to race speedway. Notably he finished second at the 2017-18 South Island stockcar championships.

Fran Myers-Baird
Otago Girls’ High School
Athletics

Then: Had been selected for New Zealand team to go to the Pacific Schools Games just over a year after transitioning from running to race walking.

Now: Stopped competing after developing an ulcer. Now lives in Australia and works in childcare.

Anna Isteed
Blue Mountain College
Athletics

Then: Won three South Island secondary school titles in the high jump and a bronze in the junior grade at the national secondary school championships.

Now: Believed to no longer be in the sport.

Sophie Williamson in 2008 as a 14-year-old Dunstan High School pupil. Photo: ODT Files

Kate Kernaghan
St Hilda’s Collegiate
Hockey

Then: Made the New Zealand under-16 hockey team to play Queensland in Auckland.

Now: A regular in national hockey league teams and recently spent time playing professionally in Europe. Lives in Waikato where she teaches at Leamington School.

Kane Russell
Otago Boys’ High School
Hockey

Then: A multi-talented athlete who excelled in hockey, cricket and athletics, Russell had played for the New Zealand under-16 hockey team and was chosen for the Otago under-16, 18 and 21 teams. Had also won gold medals in the javelin and 4x100m relay at the national secondary school athletics championships.

Now: Debuted for the Black Sticks in 2012 and has been a regular in the side since then. Went to the Rio Olympics in 2016 and won silver at the 2018 Commonwealth Games on the Gold Coast.

Kane Russell was excelling in multiple sports in 2008, but hockey was the one which led him to stardom. Photo: Gerard O'Brien

Ben Mackay
King’s High School
Basketball

Then: Had been selected for the New Zealand under-17 Koru basketball team to play in Australia.

Now: Is a surveyor in Whistler, Canada, after having also worked in Australia and the UK.

Sophie Williamson
Dunstan High School
Cycling

Then: Was a national cycling champion in three different disciplines.

Now: Won three world junior championship medals, raced professionally in the United States and was a New Zealand elite track team member. Now living in Cardiff and coaches for Welsh Cycling as well as managing a sports therapy clinic.

Plenty of success on the track was ahead of Anna Kean (left) and Rebekah Greene a decade ago. Photo: Linda Robertson

Briony Barclay
Otago Girls’ High School
Futsal

Then: One of two New Zealanders chosen for a combined New Zealand-Australia futsal team to tour China, while also captaining the New Zealand schools team.

Now: Did not go to China as was unable to raise enough funds, something she is still ‘‘gutted’’ about. Is now a stay-at-home mother of children aged 4 and 18 months. Still plays football for Roslyn Wakari, although being a mother and having a husband who works nights makes it hard to attend premier trainings, so she plays socially.

Anna Kean
Bayfield High School
Athletics

Then: A strong 800m runner who had been selected for the New Zealand athletics Pacific Schools Games team as a 14-year-old.

Now: Won national medals through her school years, before moving to Wellington for university. Has been working there in market research for Nielsen, although recently relocated to Melbourne to work in the same field. No longer runs on the track, although competes in some longer races and does reasonably well in them. Still holds four Otago records in the 800m and 1500m.

Rebekah Greene
St Hilda’s Collegiate
Athletics

Then: Also chosen for the Pacific Schools Games after breaking the Otago 3000m record in four age-groups in one go. Had been a talented gymnast as well and placed fourth overall in the level eight national championships.

Now: Ran at the University of Florida in the United States and is now back in Dunedin running after sorting some heart issues. Still on the comeback trail, she is ranked in the country’s top 10 3000m runners. Holds 21 Otago records, including senior women’s records in the 1500m and 3000m.

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