Ben Power taking the field by storm

Ben Power is used to dealing with the media. He reckons he has been interviewed at least eight times by local newspapers, and he has done some video promotion work.

The attention is warranted. Power is a nationally ranked thrower in discus, shot put and hammer as well as being a leading rugby player in the Hurricanes region.

The Year 13 is a house captain at Hutt International Boys' School and when rugby, athletics and volleyball (a hobby) seasons combine he plays three sports and trains at least six times in the same week.

Power's father is former Wellington and New Zealand Colts rugby player Doug Power.

Ben started field athletics in Year 9 and is coached by Shaka Sola, a former Oceania and Pacific champion who attended the World Championships in 2005 and recently won the Hutt City Sports Awards coach of the year.

Ben won several club titles as a junior, but his breakthrough was at the club nationals in 2014.

He won gold in the under-18 shot put and discus, improving his personal best for both events, and added to his medal haul with a bronze in the hammer throw. He topped 17m for the first time when recording 17.08m in the shot put, improving on his previous PB of 16.66m, achieved when finishing third at the Australian junior championships in Sydney. His winning discus throw was 52.25m, a significant improvement on his previous PB of 50.03m, also recorded in Sydney.

At the Nationals in Wanganui in December, 2014 he was second in the shot put and hammer. In the shot put he was beaten by New Zealand Secondary Schools' rugby player Sam Ulufonua.

Ulufonua attended the World Junior Championships so Power wasn't disappointed with his result, but admits a national title would be nice in 2015.

"I have been improving each season so it would be nice to win a National title. I think rugby will be the priority when I leave school, the opportunities are greater, but I don't want to give athletics away completely," Power says.

In 2015, Power won the Hutt Valley regional’s shot put and discus titles. He threw a PB of 18.73 in the shot put and 53.00m in discus. At the North Island championships he repeated his shot put and discus successes and added the hammer throw as well.

He once won a strong man competition by throwing a 90kg stone two metres.

Power has been selected for the New Zealand Schools team for the Youth Commonwealth games in Samoa, but he is unsure if he will attend. Funds and rugby are an issue.

Power is the captain of the HIBS First XV. Last year they had their best season ever winning three games in premier one and beating Wellington College for the first time (6-5).

In 2015 they have scored wins over Wainuiomata High School, Upper Hutt College and Porirua College to re-earn their place in Premier One.

Power says HIBS have about ten returning players, but admits the squad isn't has strong as last year.

"Our first goal is to quality for Premier one and take it from there. Last year we had a really tight bunch of boys with a lot of experience. This year the chemistry is all good, but we are not as experienced."

Ben's dad is coaching the team. Former All Black captain Graham Mourie has moved on. Players to watch include lock Callum Dunne and goal-kicking fullback Caleb Taskoff who has a background in basketball.

Power is a hard-running No.8, but at representative level he was selected to play hooker for the Wellington Under-18's, despite hardly playing the position before. Power explains what happened. 

"The selectors like my shape as a hooker. I think I can play both positions so I have been working hard on my throwing, but I will play No.8 for HIBS most of the season."

Power's versatility and talent was recognised by the Samoa Under-20's selectors. He was picked in the original squad, but the IRB ruled that players who weren't 18 and born on or before January 1, 1997 were ineligible.

Power admits it was disappointing to miss out, but says he will keep working hard to achieve his goals of a New Zealand Schools' rugby jersey and national athletics title.

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