Kaiyin Ngatungane MATAIO
Country: Cook Islands
Place of Birth: Auckland, New Zealand
Date of Birth: 4 May 2008
Specialist Event(s): Men’s Singles, Men’s Doubles, Mixed Doubles
Height: 157cm
Education: Rutherford College, Mangere College
Language(s): English, Cooks Islands Maori
Play L or R: Right
Sporting Achievements:
- 2022 Gold Medalist Mix Doubles Cook Islanda Games
- 2022 Gold Medalist Cook Islands Games Teams Event
- 2023 Bronze Medalist U17 New Zealand Junior Team Champs
- 2024 Silver Medalist Pacific U17 Invitational Team Challenge
Sporting Ambitions:
Aspiration: To follow my passion for badminton and bring joy to my family by pursuing a professional career in the sport. Goal: Embrace every moment on the badminton court with enthusiasm and dedication, working tirelessly to reach the level required for a professional career, all while sharing the joy of playing with my family and celebrating our journey together towards achieving my goals and hopefully represent my country at the Olympics
Idols: Kento Momota
Biography:
Kia orana everyone, my name is Kaiyin Mataio, I am 15 years old and of Cook Islands decent, and let me tell you how my adventure in badminton began. It all started when my dad, knowing my love for sports, invited me to tag along with him to social badminton sessions twice a week. From the very first swing of the racket, I was hooked! The speed, the strategy of the game – it was like woah🤩. Before I knew it, coaches were noticing my potential and invited me to join the squad, even though I was still pretty young. With the full support of my family behind me, I dove headfirst into training, eager to sharpen my skills and take on new challenges. Badminton isn’t just something I do for fun; it’s become a part of who I am. I’m on a mission to push myself further, reach new heights, and maybe even make a name for myself in the world of badminton. So watch out, because this kid from the Cook Island is ready🙂
Interesting Fact:
My Cook Islands culture is one that I enjoy and love, and as such my special talent from my Cook Island culture is playing the Cook Islands drums, which is called a pate and also playing the ukelele in a stringband. Can I also mention that I have crafted the art of backhand in badminton and that its second to none, however what usually follows my craft of backhand is usually the lines of ‘get around it Kaiyin’ but I try not to do it as often. Fun facts indeed
