Badminton buzz spreads to Mauke

The new buzz sport of badminton has quickly flourished on Rarotonga and has now spread to the outer island of Mauke.

Mauke resident Hugh Graham got the sport back up and running on Rarotonga earlier this year and last week he delivered two sets of badminton gear to Mauke school.

Graham donated four badminton racquets and 12 shuttle cocks plus a net which he collected during a trip to China late last year.

The net was donated by the Oceania Badminton Federation.

The new badminton gear was donated to Mauke School senior students along with physical education coordinator Teata Purea- Ateriano, school principal Josephine Ivirangi and deputy principal Apii Teao.

“On behalf of Mauke School we would like to sincerely thank you for the sports gear donated to the school,” says head girl TeMaui Tura.

“We are so grateful for this and we are really looking forward to doing something new and exciting, all thanks to you Hugh.”

Most of the gear Graham brought in China was donated to the interim badminton association on Rarotonga for games played on Monday and Thursday nights at the Princess Anne Hall at Tereora College.

“It’s great to see both the young and old having a go,” says Hugh of the fast expanding sport.

He would like to acknowledge the support of Air New Zealand for getting all the gear to the Cook Islands all the way from China at no cost.