Athletics season gets under way
There was good competition as the opening night of the Palmerston North Athletic Club season got underway last Tuesday. Top billing went to Theo Purdy who was most impressive in taking out the 1500m, recording a personal best.
We are accustomed to seeing David Lovelock dominate the longer distance races, but he could not foot it with Theo on the night.
Zac Topping was once again dominant in the sprints taking out both the 60m and 100m. But the battle for bragging rights between our two jump stars saw Jordan Peters just heading Hamish Kerr in taking out the minor placings.
Braden Grant was right on their shoulder and later in the evening took out the 400m.
Pavinee Watson won the women’s 60m and 100m races, while in the youth women’s race Lydia Bamford won the 60m, but couldn’t hold off Sophie Williams in the 100m.
The 400m women’s race saw a good win for Nienke Heida, a young lady from the Netherlands who has been training with the club during her stay in the city.
Unfortunately for us, this will be her only competition with us as her time in Palmerston North is now over.
We have enjoyed her time with the club. ■ It is always great to follow club members successes both on and off the track and the big news this week has been that Anabel Romero-gemmell is the Squash New Zealand girls’ under-11 champion.
She has a great sporting pedigree with father Victor a Mexican Davis Cup tennis player and mother Katrina a New Zealand age-group athletic champion.
Katrina also runs the club programme for our junior athletes and has advised that the Run Jump Throw programme for six years and under will commence on Tuesday, October 17. It will be offered from 4.45pm5.30pm.
For the seven, eight and nine-year-olds, we will be running a fundamental skills session from 5.30pm-6pm.
From this session they will have the option to transition into the track/field events scheduled for that night.
If the weather is not favourable, these programmes will not operate, but children are always encouraged to come down and participate in the mainstream track schedule.
The PNAHC is all about developing our athletes in a fun and supportive environment.
We aim to be inclusive, to inspire and create a life long love for sport
■ Last week I advised the latest information on the timetable for the resurfacing of the Manawatu Community All Weather Athletic Track.
Our track is not the only track receiving attention with news that Wellington’s Newtown Park Track will be out of action from December 4 to January 19 while their track is once again replaced.
They certainly do not appear to have had a good run with their track surfaces suffering recurring problems with bubbling resulting in numerous repairs and replacements being necessary.
It must be of concern that the last track upgrade was only completed in 2013 and now needs replacing again.
With the track being out of action, alternative venues need to be looked at and I know some of the older athletes are quite excited at the prospect of the Scottish Night of Miles being held on the Basin Reserve.
■ It is always great to come across a feel good story especially when it involves one of our top sportsmen.
The latest involves World Champion shot putter Tom Walsh and his coach Dale Stevenson.
When Walsh won his gold medal at the world championships, Stevenson, as his coach, also received a medal.
But rather than keep the medal, Stevenson and Walsh decided to pass it on to Ian Baird as a mark of his influence on getting Walsh to the top.
Baird oversaw Walsh’s early development and remains a sounding board and has also helped Stevenson progress as a coach.
Stevenson said that Baird represented a significant part of athletics as a volunteer coach, like hundreds of others around the country, who give up their time for no financial reward, helping out because they enjoy it.
‘‘The best coaches out there are coaching kids who no one has ever heard of,’’ he said. ‘‘To say I’ve had any major influence compared to someone like Ian over Tom’s career I just don’t feel comfortable with that.’’
■ What’s on
October 10 - Palmerston North Athletics programme B
October 14 - Manawatu Striders Kahuterawa Classic
October 17 - Palmerston North Athletics programme C
October 17 - Ashhurst Athletics opening night
October 18 - Feilding Athletics opening night
October 24 - Palmerston North Athletics programme A
October 24 - Ashhurst Athletic club night October 25 - Feilding Athletic club night October 28 - Central Teams Competition, Inglewood.
October 28 - Palmerston North Parkrun November 4 - Central Teams Competition, Wanganui
November 5 - Palmerston North Ribbon Day