Secondary Schools Ki-o-rahi championships

Asthma Foundation celebrates positive benefits of secondary Schools Ki-o-rahi championships

The Asthma Foundation is pleased to see many young Maori rangatahi involved in the New Zealand Secondary Schools Ki-o-Rahi championships in Gisborne on the 10th and 11th of April.

"Being fit and healthy can make a positive difference to your life in many different ways, and is particularly beneficial for those with a respiratory condition" says Dr Tristram Ingham, Maori Strategic Advisor for the Asthma Foundation. "We too often hear of tamariki with asthma who struggle to play sport and to be as active as they would like. We know that when a respiratory condition such as asthma is properly controlled it shouldn’t limit your ability to exercise, in fact many asthmatic athletes have succeeded in being the very best within their field of sports.”

The traditional Maori game of Ki-o-Rahi, which dates back to pre-European times, has a growing following at school level and last year’s National Tournament in Wellington was the first to be held under the umbrella of the New Zealand Secondary Schools Sports Council (NZSSC).

Ki-o-Rahi not only incorporates physical skills such as running, passing, and catching, but also draws on core Maori values such as manaakitanga and whanaungatanga.

We celebrate the achievements of those rangatahi participating in the national Ki-o-Rahi tournament. We also want to encourage those whanau and rangatahi with asthma who are wanting to keep fit, active, and participate in sports visit your health team regularly and to get an asthma management plan – including advice on taking medication before exercise to prevent symptoms occurring. “With the right asthma management plan and by taking a reliever puffer before sport or exercise, asthma shouldn’t hold you back from being active. Regular exercise can actually improve asthma symptoms and quality of life for people with asthma" says Dr Ingham.

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