Olivia Eaton a Sport Taranaki “future champion.”

Olivia Eaton was one of 13 athletes selected by Sport Taranaki last year as a “future
champion.” 

Sport Taranaki assists aspiring elite athletes, both physically and developmentally via mentoring, personal development sessions and a comprehensive workshop calendar for the year. 

Eaton’s biggest expense is travel. In 2013 she travelled to the World Surf Live saving championships in Japan, where she finished second in the beach sprint and beach flags. She was beaten by Australian Nicole Kay, who became the youngest Australian to take out the national open women's beach sprint title when she was 15. Despite attending New Plymouth Girls’ High School, Eaton represents the Mount Manganui club in competitions.

“The standard of competition is much better up there” explains Eaton. 

“I am used to commuting to the Mount. I get a lot of help from my coach Larry O'Byrne.” 

Eaton describes O'Byrne as an “incredible coach.”

O’Byrne has certainly brought out the best in Eaton. In March 2014 she was the youngest winner of the open women's beach sprint title at the New Zealand surf lifesaving championships at Ohope Beach. 
Eaton earned selection for the 12-strong national youth team that competed in the World Champions on the sands of Le Grande Motte in Montpellier, France. Eaton achieved outstanding results of winning three medals, including gold in the women's beach flags.

Eaton descried France as an “incredible experience.”

“France was so nice, the weather was really hot, the competition was intense and my family came over and we did a bit of travel afterwards.”

Beach flags, is not always nice. An explosive sport that features nine flags in a pit with the winner being the last person standing with the final flag can turn nasty.

“I’ve seen a few broken arms. You have to keep your wits about you. The older competitors tend to be the roughest because they know they are stronger than you”, Eaton says. 

Eaton recently won the under-19 sprint and flag double at the New Zealand Surf Live Saving nationals.
There are no such shenanigans on the track. Eaton is the senior girls national 200m champion and also finished third in the 100m at last year’s nationals in Wanganui. Eaton’s personal best for the 100m is 12.21 and 25-flat for the 200m. Eaton says her goal is to get under the 25-second barrier for the 200m which will put her in contention for age- group World Championship events and more travel.

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