Erika Fairweather
Erika Fairweather
Standing on the starting blocks at the 2021 Olympic Games in Tokyo, Erika Fairweather says it was one of the few times in her life where everything was peaceful and quiet.
The 17-year-old Kavanagh College head girl has been rising at 4am every morning to do two hours of swimming training at Moana Pool before school, then returning after a hectic school day for several more hours of training — all under the watchful gaze of teachers, coaches, sports media and the New Zealand public.
"I think the build-up to it is more pressure than when you’re actually on the starting block.
"When you’re on the starting block, it’s kind of peaceful — you know what you’re about to do, you’ve got this whole plan, you’ve prepped really well for it, you’re just ready to go."
Her ability to keep calm under pressure, focus on what is important and be well organised, has helped her become the youngest Aqua Black, win the 2019 Junior World Championship women's 200m freestyle, and set 26 New Zealand age-group records in multiple freestyle disciplines over the past six years.
Somehow during this time, she has found time to fit homework in and maintain her NCEA levels 1 and 2 with excellence endorsements.
"There’s so many hours of work that have gone into what I’ve achieved.
"Socialising is probably one of the things people would say I’ve missed out on, but I haven’t. My best mates are in swimming with me.
"I just socialise in a different way. I find different things to do that don’t involve going out late."
You couldn’t blame Erika for wanting to take a well-earned break next year, but she insists on continuing with her gruelling training regime while studying ecology at the University of Otago.
"Next year is a pretty busy year because all of this year’s swimming competitions have been postponed until 2022.
"And the peak age for swimmers is in their late 20s at the moment, so I’ve got at least another two Olympic Games to strive for."
Achievements: Head girl (2021); NCEA level 1 and 2 with excellence; Aqua Black team member (2019-2021); Junior world champion women's 200m freestyle (2019); competed in Tokyo Olympic Games 400m freestyle, 200m freestyle and 4x200m freestyle relay (2021); competed in Fina World Championships (2019); 26 NZ age group records across multiple freestyle disciplines (2015-2021); University of Otago Junior Mana Pounamu Award (2019); Aotearoa Maori Sports Awards, junior Maori sportswoman of the year (2019); Youth Olympian (2018); Junior Pan Pacific Championships (2018); Otago Academy of Sport (2019-2020); peer support (2021); peer tutoring (2020, 2021).
Role models: New Zealand’s top swimmers.
Hopes for the future: To study ecology at the University of Otago and forge a career in conservation.
Tobias Devereux
Tobias Devereux
Talent plus dedication, multiplied by encouragement and support from family and friends, is Tobias Devereux’s formula for success.
The 17-year-old Kavanagh College deputy head boy has won dozens of regional and national mathematics, computing and robotics competitions and awards in the past five years, and did his first 100-level maths paper at Canterbury University when he was still in year 10.
Since then, he has gained A-pluses in four Massey University 200-level maths papers, and managed to complete NCEA level 3 with excellence last year.
So what do you do when you’ve finished NCEA?
Tobias decided to come back this year and study some other NCEA level 3 subjects he did not have room for last year, all while studying 300-level calculus papers at Massey.
Next year he plans to do a double degree in music, maths and computer science at the University of Otago.
"I’m hoping to get into some technology-based computer programming and software — possibly something research-based like artificial intelligence."
Tobias says his career plans are not set in stone yet because technology is evolving rapidly.
Something that seems impossible now, may actually be probable in a decade, and he wants to be working at the forefront of that new technology.
Tobias says studying all the time can be isolating, so he plays piano and trumpet in a number of school and community ensembles, dances and plays for the school’s 1st XI football team.
"It’s great to have that balance.
"It keeps me grounded and it takes my mind off all the maths and computing. It’s a great social outlet."
Achievements: Deputy head boy (2021); NZQA outstanding scholar award (2020), outstanding scholarships in calculus (2019, 2020), physics (2020); scholarships in statistics (2017, 2020) and calculus (2018); NCEA levels 1, 2 and 3 with excellence; A+ Canterbury University math199 (2018); A+ in four Massey University 200-level maths papers (2019, 2020); Kavanagh College top scholar (2015-2020); academic blues (2017-2020); Australian Invitational Informatics Olympiad bronze medal (2021); 4th= Oxford University Computing Challenge in NZ, Australia and Singapore (2021); 1st NZ physics and maths Competition (2020); Massey University Kee Teo Prize in mathematics (2020); NZ Maths Olympiad silver medal (2020); NZ Maths Olympiad Squad (2021); Australian Maths Competition prize (2017, 2018), high distinction (2020); Computational and Algorithmic Thinking Competition high distinction (2017, 2019, 2020); cultural blues (2018, 2019, 2020); Kavanagh Show Band (2016-2021); Kavanagh Jazz Band (2015-2021); Dunedin Youth Jazz Orchestra (2019-2021); Jazz Dance NZ advanced 1 (2020); Cecchetti Ballet advanced 1 (2019); Urban Ignition Hip Hop level 9 (2020); Kavanagh 1st XI football (2020, 2021); school athletics age-group champion (2019-2020), runner-up (2021); peer support (2021); peer mentor (2020); Edmund Rice Camp leader (2020); school council co-chair (2021).
Role model: Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern and trumpeter Joshua Gawel.
Hopes for the future: To study music, maths and computer science at the University of Otago.
