All Videos February 12, 2020

The world aerobics champion who created Jump Jam

In the early 90s aerobics was at its peak, and Brett Fairweather was one of the best in the world. But it’s what he did next that made him a familiar face for a generation of young New Zealanders.

More from this series

Scratched: Season three coming May 17

Scratched: Aotearoa's Lost Sporting Legends

Scratched: Season three coming May 17

Season three of award-winning series Scratched: Aotearoa’s Lost Sporting Legends celebrates five more incredible New Zealand athletes. Full series streaming on The Spinoff from Tuesday.

13 May 2022

0:30

Lee Ralph, the skateboarder who vanished

Scratched: Aotearoa's Lost Sporting Legends

Lee Ralph, the skateboarder who vanished

In the late 1980s, New Zealand skateboarder Lee Ralph had the world at his feet – but right when he seemed poised to join the sport’s elite, he was kicked out of the US, and out of the limelight for good.

16 Mar 2021

12:04

Jane Tehira, the triple international

Scratched: Aotearoa's Lost Sporting Legends

Jane Tehira, the triple international

New Zealand has had a handful of double internationals, athletes who’ve represented the country in two different sports. In the 1950s, Jane Tehira represented New Zealand in three – basketball, softball and hockey.

12 Mar 2021

9:38

Precious McKenzie’s last gold medal

Scratched: Aotearoa's Lost Sporting Legends

Precious McKenzie’s last gold medal

From being barred from weightlifting competitions in apartheid-era South Africa to being embraced by his adopted home country New Zealand, Precious McKenzie’s is a story of determination – and of the importance of knowing your value.

4 Mar 2021

11:00

Angela Walker’s forgotten gymnastic gold

Scratched: Aotearoa's Lost Sporting Legends

Angela Walker’s forgotten gymnastic gold

This is the story of Angela Walker, New Zealand’s forgotten gold medalist from the 1990 Commonwealth Games.

23 Feb 2021

11:26

Tuariki Delamere’s somersault long jump

Scratched: Aotearoa's Lost Sporting Legends

Tuariki Delamere’s somersault long jump

At a college track and field championships meet in 1974, a New Zealand long jumper representing Washington State University did something that had never been done in competition before – a somersault.

16 Feb 2021

9:22

Meda McKenzie vs the Cook Strait

Scratched: Aotearoa's Lost Sporting Legends

Meda McKenzie vs the Cook Strait

In 1978, Wellington teenager Meda McKenzie went for a swim with her brother and ended up in the South Island.

9 Feb 2021

11:22

Joeli Vidiri, the greatest All Black that never was

Scratched: Aotearoa's Lost Sporting Legends

Joeli Vidiri, the greatest All Black that never was

In 1996, Joeli Vidiri was set to be the star of New Zealand rugby alongside his good friend Jonah Lomu. But deteriorating kidneys led to his early retirement from the sport, aged just 27.

28 Jul 2020

15:05

Māori tennis star Ruia Morrison meets Serena Williams

Scratched: Aotearoa's Lost Sporting Legends

Māori tennis star Ruia Morrison meets Serena Williams

Part II of Ruia Morrison’s journey to recognition in Aotearoa. In 1957, the tennis legend was the first New Zealand woman and first Māori to compete at Wimbledon, advancing to the quarter finals. Six decades later, Morrison was honoured with a korowai (cloak) in her name at the Auckland 2020 ASB Classic, and Serena Williams wore it as tournament champion.

19 Feb 2020

12:47

Barbara Cox, the matriarch of New Zealand football

Scratched: Aotearoa's Lost Sporting Legends

Barbara Cox, the matriarch of New Zealand football

Born in 1947, Barbara Cox grew up learning that a woman’s role was to cook and clean and take care of her husband. So when her husband signed her up to a local football team in 1973, Cox’s life changed.

14 Feb 2020

10:46

Chunli Li, table tennis player undefeated in NZ age 57

Scratched: Aotearoa's Lost Sporting Legends

Chunli Li, table tennis player undefeated in NZ age 57

Chunli Li moved to New Zealand in 1987 to retire from table tennis, aged 25. Instead, she was asked to keep playing and represented New Zealand at four Olympic Games and at the 2002 Commonwealth Games won an unprecedented four medals, aged 40.

13 Feb 2020

13:37

The world aerobics champion who created Jump Jam

Scratched: Aotearoa's Lost Sporting Legends

The world aerobics champion who created Jump Jam

In the early 90s aerobics was at its peak, and Brett Fairweather was one of the best in the world. But it’s what he did next that made him a familiar face for a generation of young New Zealanders.

12 Feb 2020

9:52