Best of 2021: the sporting life

A new bowling spin star, the rise and rise of MMA and the ultimate ultra-marathon runner were some of our sporty stories this year.

 

Ajaz Patel: The boy from Mumbai

New Zealand cricketer Ajaz Patel in his own words.

'To harness the energy of a team, flatten the hierarchy as much as you can'

The need to belong is hardwired into each of us, says UK-based performance coach Owen Eastwood (Ngāi Tahu).

Watch - The Ah Kuoi sporting legacy

From watching games on the sidelines in Samoa to seeing the family name ring out on the field in New Zealand, father and son Ken and Naitoa Ah Kuoi have always shared a passion for rugby.

Muslim women athletes - keeping fasts and staying fast 

Crossfit athlete Mariam Bahar and football coach Ola Shahin talk about observing Ramadan while training.

 

The '49ers: Westport Old Boys Rugby Club

An epic train journey for a game of rugby marked the end of an era for Harry Benjamin and the Westport Old Boys Rugby Club.

Watch - Mud & Blood: tradition meets passion

Four West Coast rugby teams compete for the region’s foremost rugby prize - the Woodham Shield. 

 

Dean Karnazes: ultramarathon man

Dean Karnazes reflects on getting older, wiser, slower and stronger. 

 

Holding on to Pasifika rugby talent

Pasifika rugby has been the world's poor cousin for too long. Could a new plan help retain players and see the island game thrive? 

 

MMA - the combat sport sweeping the world

Why is the world going mad for mixed martial arts? 

 

Cognitive impairment: the rugby legacy no player wants

Former All Black Carl Hayman - once thought to have been the highest-paid rugby player in the world - was diagnosed with early-onset dementia at just 41 years old.

 

Sonny Bill Williams: on and off the field

Rugby star and boxer Sonny Bill Williams was just a boy when he moved to Australia to join the Bulldogs rugby league team.