Local sports briefs: West Hawaii gyms closed for prep sports; Ali‘i Challenge draws dozens of swimmers
The following is a list of local sports briefs
The following is a list of local sports briefs
West Hawaii gyms closed for athletics
Three of West Hawaii’s gymnasiums used for high school athletics — Kealakehe High School, Konawaena High School and Old Kona Airport — have been closed to the public the foreseeable future due to sustained water intrusion damage from the March Kona Low storms, the Hawaii Department of Education (HIDOE) and other sources close to the situation told West Hawaii Today.
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The storm damage includes portions of the gymnasium floors, causing buckling in some areas. Konawaena’s Ellison Onizuka Gymnasium was already closed for the summer due to a previously scheduled mold mitigation program. HIDOE’s Office of Facilities and Operations (OFO) is closely working alongside contractors to expedite flooring repairs and mitigate water intrusion. Repair timelines are still yet to be determined.
Kealakehe is currently using its gymnasium for volleyball and basketball practices, but not for official games. Konawaena’s remains closed, but its teams will practice nearby at Konawaena Elementary in the meantime.
Until repairs are complete, both schools will hold home games at away sites.
The paper will share more updates as they become available.
Ali‘i Challenge
draws over
2 dozen swimmers
The 40th Annual Ali‘i Challenge Long Distance Swim was a slightly more challenging swim than the previous handful of years.
This swim is a 10km / 6.2 mile-course from Keauhou Bay to the pier in Kailua Kona. The weather conditions were super, with light winds and just a bit of wind chop on the surface of the water. The part that tested the swimmers was in the first half of the swim. Large areas of the surface were yellow or brownish with particulates and many jellyfish stings and a few tentacle wraps were suffered along that stretch. The second half saw cleaner water and happier participants.
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This year’s field was a small one, but held a lot of excitement. The first two finishers were only three seconds apart, with Thomas Rathbun holding the edge over Rachel Randall, both swimmers from O’ahu. Rachel was closing fast in the final 20 meters.
This edition hosted five swimmers from O’ahu and a few first-timers from here on Big Island.
Next year’s event will be held Aug. 8, 2027. See today’s Scoreboard for the full slate of the 2026 results.
