Taiko Torepe-Ormsby started swimming because of his older sisters, with his parents encouraging him into the sport as well. Now, Torepe-Ormsby is the fastest man in New Zealand history.

One of Torepe-Ormsby’s earliest memories of swimming was during a have-a-go carnival at Wharenui, where he dove in for his first 25m freestyle race and realized his goggles were still on his forehead. After the initial shock, Torepe-Ormsby powered through to finish the race, touching the wall to a loud applause from the crowd. He jumped out of the pool with a big smile on his face, but deep down was fighting back tears.

Torepe-Ormsby has always swum for Wharenui Swim Club in Christchurch. Staying loyal to Wharenui means a lot to him, he feels that it will always be his home team and something he will always be proud of.

Throughout his years in the pool, Torepe-Ormsby has always enjoyed sprinting, still holding multiple New Zealand age records in backstroke, butterfly, and freestyle. However, he has always had a deeper love for freestyle.

Torepe-Ormsby first represented New Zealand at the Australian State Team Championships in 2018 and 2019, and was part of the Tri Series Tour in 2021. He also met the qualification standard for the 2020 Junior Pan Pacific Championships that did not go ahead.

Torepe-Ormsby currently studies and trains at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, majoring in Consumer Behaviour and Marketplace Studies. During his sophomore year, he came tenth in the 50yd freestyle at NCAA Championships and reset a school record at the Big Ten Championships.

Growing up, Torepe-Ormsby looked up to fellow Wharenui swimmer Matthew Hutchins, who also swam at Wisconsin and qualified for Rio 2016. Seeing Hutchins’ journey inspired him to follow the same path.

Heading into the 2024 NZ Swimming Championships in Hawke’s Bay, Torepe-Ormsby and Michael Pickett shared the NZ Record of 22.11 in the 50m Freestyle, after Torepe-Ormsby equaled the mark in mid-2023. Torepe-Ormsby had to wait until the final day of competition for his only event but exploded off the blocks in the morning heat to smash the New Zealand Record and qualify for his first senior international team – the Paris 2024 Olympic Games. This performance made him the first New Zealander to break 22 seconds.

On Olympic and Aquablack debut at Paris 2024, he placed 19th in the 50m freestyle, narrowly missing the semi-finals. His time marked the second fastest performance in history from a New Zealander, behind only his own effort from earlier in the year.

One of Torepe-Ormsby’s biggest goals outside of swimming is simply making sure his whānau and the Māori community are proud of the man he has become. Swimming has influenced the way that Torepe-Ormsby acts and has given him the ability to learn from his successes and failures, which has shaped the person he is today.

Favourite Quote – “Ka whati te tai, ka pao te tōrea – When the tide ebbs, the oyster catcher strikes – seize the opportunity.”