Joanna Tokona was a member of the Caversham Athletics Club and used to be one of Otago's best long-distance runners.
"I don't remember the pram rides but I have seen pictures of it," Kawana said.
Kawana (14), a pupil at East Otago High School, lives at Karitane and used to follow his mother's example and run around without shoes.
"My feet got sore and I don't do it now," he said. His sporting interests took a different tack when he began wrestling at the age of 11.
"I like wrestling. It's the only sport I've really played," Kawana said.
"I like fighting. It's fun. I like getting my opponent to the ground."
He won the New Zealand aged 10 to 13 title in Auckland in 2009 and retained his title in Dunedin last year.
Kawana was runner-up at the South Island championships in 2008 and claimed the crown over the past two years. Kawana is having success now but he is not satisfied with this and is looking to the future.
"I want to compete for New Zealand at Commonwealth and Olympic Games," he said.
He added athletics to his sporting skills on Saturday by winning the boys under-14 triple jump with a record 10.82m at the Otago secondary schools athletics sports at the Caledonian Ground.
He does not have time to be serious about other sports but in his spare time he enjoys surfing at Karitane Beach.
Fast Lane
Name: Kawana Tokona (14).
School: East Otago High School.
Sport: Wrestling, athletics.
Achievements: New Zealand aged 10 to 13 champion 2009, 2010; South Island aged 10 to 13 champion 2009, 2010; Otago secondary schools boys under 14 triple jump title (record 10.82m).
