Tāmaki College Student Column: Chasing gains but gaining community

This column was written by Tāmaki College students Alona Lyn Andales, Sina Brown, and Limiteti Telefoni

Inspired by the likes of Doris Taufateau, Eliesa Katoa, and Maiakawanakaulani Roos, who walked once our halls before playing for international audiences, the next generation of sporting superstars are ready to follow in their footsteps. In late 2024, a small group of promising Tāmaki College students hit the gym in pursuit of their own personal excellence - little did they know this would spark the beginning of a record-breaking journey.

From the courts and fields of our local community to stadiums and podiums around the world, Tāmaki College continues to develop local sporting legends.

Among the founding members was Tāmaki College Attendance Counsellor Palekuola Lorenzo “The Juggernaut” Fauolo, who discovered his love for weightlifting through a mate at the gym. Lorenzo, who has since been crowned an Australasian Natural Strongman Champion after achieving a drug-free, world-record breaking 210kg Atlas Stone lift, has now set his sights on developing the next generation of strongmen from our very own neck of the woods. “What drives me to keep going is the next generation – seeing the untapped potential in the hood drives me to push and excel in the sport to create more opportunities.”

Alongside Tāmaki College Sports Coordinator Mike Manu and weightlifting coach Dan, Lorenzo went on to launch a dedicated weightlifting team who were soon ready to test their skills at the local Raise the Bar competition. With Lorenzo’s support and their whānau cheering from the crowd, many of the Tāmaki boys went on to smash personal bests. For Lorenzo though, the highlight of the event was “seeing [the weightlifting team] become more comfortable in themselves, and knowing that this is a safe space for building stronger bonds of friendship with each other, and those in the wider community.”

For 2023 Tāmaki College graduate Alo Hingano, Raise the Bar was a chance to put his newly developed skills to the test. Alo, who first discovered weightlifting through his schoolmate and friend, Diego Tuala-Tagaloa, recalls, “I saw him on Instagram lifting the log, carrying the farmers and all that, and it got me inspired”.

Initially shy, Alo overcame his nerves after joining City Fitness, where he met the now close-knit weightlifting group. What began as a small step into the gym quickly became a journey of self-discipline, confidence, and faith. Once unable to bench 100kg at school, Alo now pushes 120kg and has even surpassed the friends he once looked up to. “God was really there for me, he really guided me through it,” he says. “When I got that 100kg log, I couldn’t believe it. That was my biggest achievement.”

Alongside Lorenzo, Diego, and other members of the TC weightlifting crew, Alo reached new heights at the Upper North Island Log and Deadlift Champs 2025. Breaking the National Junior Record with a 100kg log lift, Alo has undeniably made an incredible mark for a young man who was initially afraid to hit the gym.

As for Diego, the schoolmate who first inspired Alo, the 2025 competition saw him set a new benchmark for Tāmaki College weightlifting. At just 17, House Captain Diego claimed gold with a national record-breaking 220kg deadlift. His drive, he explains, comes from the woman who raised and shaped him – his late Nana, Siufaga.

“I didn’t really see it as something to do forever. It wasn’t until my Nana passed that I found that maybe the gym is where I can put all of my stress onto the bar. I put all my stuff – like trauma and stuff I went through – onto the bar.” For Diego, the gym is more than muscle; it’s a source of healing and confidence. “It’s helped me a lot mentally. I used to be shy because my confidence was low,” he says.

To him, record-breaking lifts are mean more than mere numbers on a board; every lift represents strength, resilience, and purpose. Even as he pushes his body further, it’s the emotional strength behind every lift that truly defines him.

As for his record-breaking achievements, Diego admits another special person pushes him to keep going. “My favourite song is One Step at a Time by Jordin Sparks. I listen to tracks like that when I’m lifting, but I make sure I turn it down a bit, so the boys don’t hear it.”

While Lorenzo was inspired by a vision to uplift the next generation, Alo drew strength from faith, and Diego was motivated by the woman who raised him. Although their journeys took different turns, each arrived at the same core truth: strength is about much more than the number of kilograms you can lift above your head. Strength comes from the bonds, the character, and the resilience that you build along the way.

You can read the full edition of the Mai Tāmaki Magazine for Spring 2025 online here.