Mahina Paul

Mahina Paul
Date of birth (2001-04-19) 19 April 2001 (age 23)
Place of birthWhakatāne, New Zealand
Height1.65 m (5 ft 5 in)
Weight74 kg (163 lb)
Notable relative(s)Mererangi Paul (sister)
Rugby union career
Amateur team(s)
Years Team Apps (Points)
Rangataua (0)
Provincial / State sides
Years Team Apps (Points)
2020 – present Bay of Plenty 10 (45)
National sevens team
Years Team Comps
2019 – present  New Zealand 54 apps
23 tries
115 points[1]
Medal record
Representing  New Zealand
Women's rugby sevens
Olympic Games
Gold medal – first place 2024 Paris Team competition

Mahina Paul (born 19 April 2001) is a New Zealand rugby sevens player. She was a member of the New Zealand Women's Sevens team when they won a gold medal at the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris.

Rugby career

Paul has represented New Zealand in touch rugby and at the Youth Olympic Games for rugby sevens in 2018.[2]

Paul made her Black Ferns Sevens international debut at the South Africa Sevens in Cape Town in 2019.[3] She was one of three players who were handed professional contracts earlier that year.[2] She later featured at the 2020 New Zealand Sevens in Hamilton.[3][4]

Paul was named as a travelling reserve for the Black Ferns Sevens squad to the 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham.[5][6]

On 20 June 2024 it was announced that she had been selected as a member of the New Zealand Women’s Rugby Sevens team for the Olympic sevens competition| Paris Olympics.[7] The team won the gold medal, defeating Canada 19–12 in the final.[8]

See also

References

  1. ^ "Mahina Paul". SVNS. Retrieved 21 June 2024.
  2. ^ a b Beck, David (16 January 2019). "Whakatāne teen makes Black Ferns Sevens squad". NZ Herald. Retrieved 4 July 2022.
  3. ^ a b "Ignite7 alumni Mahina Paul helps make history in Hamilton". Red Bull. 29 January 2020. Retrieved 4 July 2022.
  4. ^ Hurkmans, Mahina (27 December 2019). "Mataatua sevens stars keep in touch with whānau". Māori Television. Retrieved 4 July 2022.
  5. ^ "Rugby Sevens teams named for Commonwealth Games". allblacks.com. 29 June 2022. Retrieved 4 July 2022.
  6. ^ "Experienced New Zealand sevens squads revealed for Commonwealth Games". Stuff. 29 June 2022. Retrieved 4 July 2022.
  7. ^ Kermeen, Mat (20 June 2024). "Sevens star Sarah Hirini completes 'unbelievable' recovery for Paris Olympics". Stuff. Retrieved 21 June 2024.
  8. ^ Burgess, Michael (31 July 2024). "Olympics 2024: New Zealand women's rugby sevens clinch Olympic gold in Paris". NZ Herald. Retrieved 31 July 2024.