Bronze weekend for city athletes
Ariana Blackwood was still recovering from illness when she defended her national heptathlon title in Whanganui. She was involved in a tight battle, with only 52 points separating the three competitors.
It proved to be a bronze-medal weekend for Palmerston North Athletic Club members, with three of our athletes collecting third placings at New Zealand championships.
Ariana Blackwood was still recovering from illness when she defended her national heptathlon title in Whanganui. She was involved in a tight battle, with only 52 points separating the three competitors.
Canterbury’s Christina Ryan took the title, with a total of 4298 points, only marginally ahead of Natalie Booth’s 4287 points, with Blackwood finishing with 4246 points. Her individual event performances were 16.92 seconds in the 100-metre hurdles, 1.45m in the high jump, 9.13m in the shot put, and 27.70s in the 200m.
At the conclusion of the first day she was third, some 334 points off the lead. She jumped 4.7m in the long jump, then produced the competition’s best performances in the javelin, 36.85m, and 800m, 2m 25.14s, to reduce the deficit.
Sam Mackinder left it to the last events to grab the bronze medal in the under-18 women’s heptathlon. A good effort in the javelin saw her sitting in fourth place, only 33 points behind the third-place athlete, as they lined up for the last event, the 800m.
Mackinder forced the pace in this race and was able to finish more than five seconds ahead of her rival, which earned her 70 more points and the bronze medal. The title was won by Gayla Goodwin, whose total points, 5007, was a New Zealand under-17 record.
Zoe Taylor scored 4450 for second, with Mackinder scoring 4067 points. Her individual event performances were 17.06s in the 100m hurdles, 1.63m in the high jump, 9.76m in the shot put, 28.54s in the 200m.
She jumped 4.58m in the long jump and 27.66m in the javelin, before her 2m 27.62s run in the 800m.
Local hopes of a medal in the women’s under-20 competition were dashed when Lexi Maples damaged her hamstring in the first event and had to withdraw from the competition.
This injury did not curtail Maples’ involvement in the championship, as she was seen out in the field helping officials retrieve the javelin.
Braydn Popow, more recognised as a walker, travelled to Inglewood and contested the New Zealand under-20 championship 10,000m, where he finished third in a personal best time of 39m .24.70s.
■ The second day of the Athletics Manawatu Whanganui championships was held last week, with the gale-force conditions making life difficult for all.
Zac Topping was once again convincing, taking out the 200m in 22.92s, with Scott Burch second in 23.88s.
Whanganui’s Genna Maples showed the field a clean pair of heels, racing away to take the women’s 200m title in 26.97s, with Ariana Blackwood second in 28.94s.
One of our younger athletes, Monique Gorrie, impressed, winning her non-championship heat in 29.94s, a top effort that would have seen her placed fifth in the championship race.
The 3000m saw Liam Back run an impressive 9m 1.77s, finishing clear of Issac Murphy, 9m 5.37s. They were well clear of Andre Le Pine Day, who finished third.
Palmerston North athletes dominated the high jump events, with our women taking the first five placings in their event.
Lea Muetzel cleared 1.63m to win the event, with Ranae Savill, Sam Mackinder and Courtney Trow all clearing 1.57m. Blackwood was fifth, with her 1.46m clearance. Mark Seumanu achieved a personal best 1.76m to win the men’s event.
■ This week will hopefully see the completion of the track marking at the Manawatu¯ Community Athletic Track bringing to conclusion the much-awaited resurfacing project.
The blue and grey track certainly looks a picture, which will be enhanced once the lines are in place.
Unfortunately, the uncertainty as to the exact completion date of the marking means the Palmerston North Club needing to postpone the Run Jump Throw Training Day scheduled for March 3.