Sport
1News

Junior Darts Corporation names Gisborne academy best in the world

Tao Matarau Darts Academy has been named the best in the world by the Junior Darts Corporation.

Gisborne is well known for producing talent on the surfboard, but a small darts academy is making waves on the international stage.

Tao Matarau Darts Academy, on the East Coast, has taken out the Junior Darts Corporation's International Academy of the Year award after only officially opening in April.

At 14 years of age, Renata Leach is already six foot and he has just as big goals in the world of darts.

“I wanna go as far as it will take me. I want to be number one eventually,” he told 1 NEWS.

Irie Eyels is 16 years old and has only been playing for two years. His ambitions are less lofty for now.

“I wanna go pretty far prove my uncle that I’m better than him,” he laughs.

The pair have recently returned from Gibralter after representing New Zealand at the Junior World Darts Championship.

Irie had no idea he would get the call up of a lifetime.

“I was buzzy out, didn't know I was going to make it.”

Renata relished the experience and can’t wait to return next year, telling 1 NEWS it was "a thrill".

Matiu Hawea runs Tao Matarau Darts Academy in Gisborne. He couldn’t believe they were named by the Junior Darts Corporation as the best in the world this year.

“Which was mind blowing for us because... we only started in April,” he told 1 NEWS.

The academy takes part in weekly online challenges set by the global governing body. Five-hundred players worldwide compete and many on the East Coast are inside the top 100.

“That's just the icing on the cake," Hawea says.

"There’s more about what we are trying to do with our kids. It’s not striving to be the best academy. It’s just giving our kids opportunities.”

As well as travelling to national competitions, players also improve their maths and discover more about their ancestors.

“We sets our sights on teaching our kids our tikanga aspects because as Māori teaching our kids our tikanga aspects, the marae aspects, the pepeha, just so they know who they are so when they go out of town they can say, 'Hey, this is where I’m from!'"

With the academy now expanding into three schools in the region, there's plenty more talent to pinpoint.

SHARE ME