Waitakere College student pins his hopes on the mat

By Stephen Forbes

Josh Clarke only took up wrestling three years ago but he could have the talent to take it to an Olympic level.
The Waitakere College student has been picked for the New Zealand Secondary Schools Olympic Wrestling Association.
"I was surprised," he says.
He got into the sport through one of his friends.
"One of my mates thought I should give it a go, so I went along to one of his trainings and got involved in it."
He was selected after he went to the New Zealand secondary school championships in Hamilton with the Waitakere College team earlier this year where he came third in the under-63kg weight division.
His performance won him a place in the national secondary schools team, which is off to Australia for the Down Under Games, on the Gold Coast in July.
The event includes students from New Zealand, Australia and the United States.
Waitakere College wrestling team manager Terry McCardle says: "He's got stacks of ability and they will be able to improve his technique."
Wrestling association secretary Daryl Druitt says he was impressed with Josh when he saw him at the national secondary school champs.
"Josh hasn't done a lot of wrestling but he's got a lot of natural ability.
"Of all the wrestlers I've seen recently he would be one of the top three in terms of potential in the under-20 age group," Mr Druitt says.
"He's got great upper body strenth and balance and is good at the big throws," he says.
"He's got the ability to be an international wrestler, there's no doubt about that, if he wants to carry on."