Wiremu Whareaitu

{{short description|New Zealand swimmer}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2015}}

{{Use New Zealand English|date=April 2015}}

{{Infobox sportsperson

| honorific_prefix =

| name = Wiremu Whareaitu

| honorific_suffix =

| image = Bill Whareaitu 1934 (cropped).jpg

| alt =

| caption = Whareaitu in 1934

| headercolor =

| textcolor =

| birth_name =

| birth_date = {{Birth date|1912|08|15|df=y}}

| birth_place = New Zealand

| death_date = {{Death date and age|1973|04|03|1912|08|15|df=y}}

| death_place = New Zealand

| resting_place =

| resting_place_coordinates =

| education =

| alma_mater =

| occupation =

| years_active =

| height =

| weight =

| spouse = {{marriage|Katarina Riripeti Riripotaka|1935}}

| module =

| country = New Zealand

| sport = Swimming

| module2 =

| nationals = 150 yds backstroke, 1st (1934)

| olympics =

| commonwealth =

| highestranking =

| pb =

|

| medaltemplates =

| show-medals =

}}

Wiremu "Bill" Whareaitu (15 August 1912 − 3 April 1973) was a New Zealand swimmer, who represented his country at the 1934 British Empire Games in London.

Whareaitu was the national 150 yards backstroke champion in 1934,{{cite web |url=http://www.aucklandmuseum.com/war-memorial/online-cenotaph/record/C120486 |title=Wiremu Whareaitu |website=Online Cenotaph |publisher=Auckland War Memorial Museum |access-date=18 April 2015}} and travelled to the Empire Games in London that year as part of the three-strong New Zealand swimming team. At those games he finished fourth in his heat of the 100 yards backstroke and did not progress. He reached the final of the 3 x 110 yards medley relay with teammates Noel Crump and Len Smith, finishing fifth.{{cite web |url=https://olympic.org.nz/athletes/wiremu-whareaitu |title=Wiremu Whareaitu |year=2013 |publisher=New Zealand Olympic Committee |access-date=18 April 2015}}

Of Te Arawa and Tūhourangi descent,{{cite book |title=Electoral district of Eastern Maori: general roll of persons entitled to vote for Members of Parliament of New Zealand |year=1949 |page=222}} Whareaitu served with the 28th (Māori) Battalion during World War II,{{cite web |url=http://www.28maoribattalion.org.nz/soldier/wiremu-whareaitu |title=Wiremu Whareaitu |publisher=Ministry for Culture and Heritage |access-date=18 April 2015}} and competed in the battalion's team at the New Zealand Division swimming championships at Maadi, Egypt in September 1943.{{cite web |url=http://www.28maoribattalion.org.nz/photo/battalion-swimming-team-1943 |title=Battalion swimming team, 1943 |date=27 July 2009 |publisher=Ministry for Culture and Heritage |access-date=18 April 2015}} In May 1945 he was commissioned as a second lieutenant.{{cite web |url=http://interactive.ancestry.com.au/6167/42025_b0154335-02296/80088 |title=New Zealand, World War II appointments, promotions, transfers and resignations, 1939–1945 |year=2014 |publisher=Ancestry.com |access-date=18 April 2015 |url-access=subscription }}

Whareaitu died in 1973 and was buried at Kauae Cemetery, Ngongotahā.{{cite web |url=http://geo.rdc.govt.nz/Geocortex/Essentials/External/REST/TempFiles/CemeteryPlot.pdf?guid=6226c21d-0f60-41e9-b184-ccb3d92a8e89&contentType=application%2Fpdf |title=Cemetery database report |publisher=Rotorua District Council |access-date=18 April 2015}}