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 six New Zealand Age Records in backstroke, butterfly, and freestyle. However, he has always had a deeper love for freestyle.

As an age group swimmer, Torepe-Ormsby was invited on many national age group swimming camps in Auckland. He first represented New Zealand at the Australian State Team Championships in 2018, taking part in the event again the following year. As a member of the national age programme, Torepe-Ormsby was also part of the Tri Series Tour in 2021.

Torepe-Ormsby was recognised as meeting the qualification standards for the 2020 Junior Pan Pacific Swimming Championships that did not go ahead due to the global pandemic.

Torepe-Ormsby currently studies and trains at the University of Wisconsin-Madison in the US. He recently declared Consumer Behaviour and Marketplace Studies as his major, after completing his sophomore year.  

During his sophomore year in Wisconsin, Torepe-Ormsby came tenth in the 50yd freestyle at the NCAA Championships, narrowly missing a spot in the ‘A’ final. Earlier in the year, he won the 50yd freestyle and came second in the 100yd freestyle at the Big Ten Championships, resetting school records in the former event.

Torepe-Ormsby always looked up to fellow Wharenui swimmer Matthew Hutchins.  Watching Hutchins move overseas to the same University of Wisconsin-Madison, was an eye opener for Taiko. And when Hutchins qualified for the Rio 2016 Olympic Games as a junior year, Torepe-Ormsby remembers telling himself that he was going to follow in Hutchins’ footsteps.

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.

Qualifying for Paris 2024, and following in the footsteps of his idol Matt Hutchins, is a childhood dream come true for Torepe-Ormsby. At the Games, he is most looking forward to showcasing that he is competitive against the best swimmers in the world. He has already learnt from his time in the US that he deserves to be there and that he has earned his spot.  

Torepe-Ormsby feels that becoming an Olympian means more to his whānau and community then it does to him. He loves the fact that he can set an example for rangatahi around Aotearoa.

One of Torepe-Ormsby’s biggest goal outside of swimming is simply hoping that the 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 has become today.

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

💥 Qualified for Paris 2024 & broke New Zealand record - 50m freestyle

On the final day of the 2024 New Zealand Swimming Championships, Torepe-Ormsby powered his way to an Olympic qualification time in the 50m freestyle becoming the first New Zealander in history to break the 22-second barrier in the event with a time of 21.86

💥 2024 NCAA Division I Championships tenth-place finish - 50yd freestyle

Narrowly missed out on qualifying for the 'A' final at the 2024 NCAA Division I Swimming Championships, clocking 18.81 in the 50yd freestyle to place tenth

💥 Breaks school record - 50yd freestyle

Won his first Big Ten Championship title in the 50yd freestyle, resetting the University of Wisconsin-Madison school record with a time of 18.76. He also placed second in the 100yd freestyle with a time of 42.10

💥 Sets first New Zealand open record by equalling the previous mark - 50m freestyle

Set his first New Zealand record, equalling the mark in the 50m freestyle with a time of 22.11 at the 2023 US Pro Championships

💥 2018 Australian State Team Championships - first junior national team

Represented New Zealand at the 2018 and 2019 Australian State Team Championships, then going on to be part of the 2021 Tri Series Tour