Maunga Roa (blue team) won the Apii Arorangi athletics competition at the National Stadium in Nikao yesterday.

The annual event was held in preparation for the CITC Prince of Wales Primary School Athletics Championships on September 13 and 14.

Apii Arorangi principal Mairi Heather said the event had four teams competing. They were named after the maungas (mountains) in Arorangi.

Tongaiti (black) finished in second place followed by Raemaru (red) in third and Takaa (yellow) in fourth place.

Heather said 115 students from Early Childhood Education to Year 8 participated in the event competing in track and field events and novelty games such as sack race and tug of war.

“The focus was more on participation and that’s why we held novelty games to give other students a feel of what it is like competing in an athletics event,” Heather said.

“It was a good day, although the forecast was for some shower, it turned out to be a beautiful day of racing.”

Heather thanked the parents for their support as well as the officials and CISNOC/CIIC for the venue.

Apii Arorangi is hoping to fill athletes in all the events at the Prince of Wales Primary School Athletics Championships.