Jimi Blinkhorne on cusp of big time

Whanganui teenager Jimi Blinkhorne was named MVP in the senior men's division at the Australia Day Cup national club championships in Melbourne last week.
PHOTO / Lewis Gardner

Teenage Whanganui roller hockey talent Jimi Blinkhorne is on the cusp of something big.

The 16-year-old has just returned from back-to-back gold in Melbourne at the Australia Day Cup national club championships after reuniting with the Mordialloc under-17 side.

The same side, with Blinkhorne again at the wheel, won last year's title after an unbeaten run and repeated the dose again in Dandenong in Melbourne last week.

During the same tournament Blinkhorne also rolled out for the Melbourne-based Mordialloc club's number three senior team.

Playing in blistering hot conditions, Blinkhorne didn't miss a beat scoring in every under-
17 division match to win gold.

However, the icing on the cake when he was named MVP (Most Valuable Player) in the senior division.

"It was great to win back-to-back under-17 national titles, but it was a real buzz to get named MVP of all the senior sides from around Australia - I didn't expect that, especially after finishing about eighth in that division," Blinkhorne said.

Father Paul "Blink" Blinkhorne accompanied his son to Melbourne this year where both enjoyed the hospitality of Australian roller hockey mate Ash Clee.

The Blinkhornes had met the Clee family on previous trips to Melbourne and in fact, Ash and Jimi had travelled to Spain together last year for a month-long training camp.

"This trip would've been a whole harder without the friendship and hospitality of the Australians, especially the Clee family who put us up," Blinkhorne senior said.

"There was some magnificent roller hockey played at the Australia Day Cup tournament by all teams, but especially Mordialloc. When they announced the under-17 MVP I was a little bit disappointed it wasn't Jimi or Ash to be fair, but then they announced the senior men MVP and it was Jimi I couldn't contain myself - that was huge.

"The heat was really oppressive. The temperature was around 42 degrees outside, but inside it must have got up around the 50s despite the fans. I just kept pouring water into Jimi."

The youngster returns for his final year at Whanganui High School in a few weeks, although his mind will be firmly on how to make the New Zealand team to play in the annual trans-Tasman series 160km north of Brisbane in Gympie on May 10-12.

"Hopefully I can make the New Zealand junior team, but I'd really like to play for the senior side. That would be awesome to make the senior team," young Blinkhorne said.

Mr Iain Hyndman
Wanganui Chronicle 25/1/18