The girls and I set off for Kaikōura late Friday night, after Waitohi’s netball game and a final kai with Nani before she (my mum) returned to Taranaki the next morning. It was an emotional farewell. I encouraged the girls to hold onto that feeling—reminding them that this tournament, and their opponents, were the reason they had to leave their Nani a night early. I also urged them to draw strength and courage from the arrival of their brand-new baby sister, Te Huia Tū Rae, who had joined our whānau just a week earlier. She would be their inspiration.
Both girls had been moved up—a weight class, a belt colour, and in Hapahapai’s case, even an age group—but I chose not to tell them until it was all over. We left Kaikōura around 8 a.m. and headed to Stadium 2000 in Blenheim for weigh-ins. The weigh-in marshals giggled, noting how light the girls were. I simply replied, “They’ll be fine.”
Before Hapahapai stepped onto the mat for her first match, I looked her in the eyes and said, “Remember the hurt you felt winning silver last week? Well, this opponent is here to make you feel that way all over again—and in front of your whānau. Hold onto that pain. Use it. Take it to her.”
It was a special day, with my dad watching them compete for the very first time—an added layer of motivation for the girls. In the first round, I found myself in the coaching chair with my nearly two-year-old son, Te Kākahi o Tū, in my arms, as both girls fought at the same time. I called out my tohutohu (instructions) in Te Reo Māori from the sidelines. Just as I predicted, Hapahapai submitted her opponent in under ten seconds with a rear naked choke, while Waitohi dominated her match with a 15–0 win.
The second round brought tougher challenges. Hapahapai battled through to win gold on points, 7–0. Waitohi followed with a gritty 5–0 victory and then another hard-fought 5–0 win to also claim gold. They both performed exceptionally, and I had to remind myself—they’re still just white belts, going up against grey belts who were older and heavier (especially in Hapahapai’s case). We were all absolutely stoked.
Afterwards, we celebrated with a feed before heading home to Kaikōura, where we watched the Warriors grab a win on TV, warm by the fire. Another awesome result for the girls, and still so much room for them to grow and sharpen their skills.
I love you, my girls. Thank you for representing us—Te Whānau Gibson—and your team, Oceanside Jiu Jitsu, with such pride, respect, and mana. Mauri ora ki a kōrua.
