Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 24, Number 7, 1 July 2007 — Hawaiian athletes [ARTICLE]

Hawaiian athletes

There is a laek of recognition for Native Hawaiian athletes. They need to be acknowledged. One example is Luis Hangca Ir., the first Native Hawaiian heaeh sprint ehampion who medaled in the 1956 Surf Lifesaving Competition in Australia. To date, no one from Hawai'i has ever achieved what he did on the international level. The event is still held, yet he continues to go unrecognized. He was the lone rural O'ahu qualifier. Born in Kahana, schooled in Kahuku, he trained himself running from Sunset Beach to Waimea on the sand.

Every time a lifeguard runs on the heaeh to train, race or rescue a life, Luis was the first. We need to honor our Hawaiian athletes: they reflect our heritage and serve as role models for the next generation. Peggy Hubacker Honolulu, O'ahu