Summer track and field season winds down
This weekend, the track and field season come to a conclusion as Cooks Gardens, in Whanganui, hosts the North Island Secondary Schools Track and Field Championships. Manawatu¯ will be well represented, with a team of 58 athletes.
Our male middle-distance runners have been on fire recently and will definitely be among our best medal prospects.
Benjamin Wall and Noah Macdermid are expected to be prominent in the senior boys’ 1500-metre and 3000m races, with Theo Purdy also in the mix in the longer event.
In the intermediate section, Andre Le Pine-day must be a big chance in both the 800m and 1500m races.
Although not quite as prominent as the boys in recent weeks, our girls are equally as talented and expected to perform well.
Ashleigh Gunn has had a busy year performing well in many sports and I expect to see her one of the leading contestants in the intermediate girls’ 800m and 1500m races.
An athlete who has recently impressed me with her racing is Georgie Furnell and I certainly would not be surprised to see her prominent in the junior 1500m and 3000m races.
Kimberley Walsh is another expected to be prominent in the 1500m and 800m junior girls’ races.
Another area in which Manawatu¯ is strong is in the jumps.
Lea Muetzel and Ranae Savill will be among the leading contenders in the senior girls’ high jump, and Sam Mackinder and Courtney Trow will give us a good chance in the intermediate girls’ event.
Olivia Devito-jones is our junior girls’ high jumper.
Mark Seumanu has been making good clearances recently and is not without a chance of success in the senior boys’ high jump, where he is joined by Michael Tamarapa.
Angus Lyver is entered in the junior boys’ high jump and, as a previous Colgate Games high jump winner, is expected to be among the better performers.
Lydia Bamford will be wanting to put the disappointment of not being able to compete at national championships behind her when she competes in the senior girls’ long jump and triple jump events. Kyra Tikitiki and Mia Zimmerman join her in the long jump.
Reuben Brown is sure to do well in the senior boys’ long jump and VJ Tauli is a good prospect in the intermediate boys’ long jump. Forbes Kennedy is another we have big hopes for in the junior long jump.
Looking to the sprints, we have Piers Savage in the senior boys’ events. Tulin Pritchard is in for a busy meeting, entering the senior girls’ 100m, 200m and 400m sprints. We will also be interested in the performances of Sophie Williams, a local club member, but she will be representing Whanganui and must be one of the favourites to take out the junior girls’ sprints.
We have good representation in the girls’ hurdle events. Monique Gorrie is running the 70m junior girls’ event, and Emma Leader and Sam Mackinder will go head to head over the intermediate girls’ 80m sticks.
Phoenix Martin was the star performer at the Manawatu¯ secondary schools meeting a fortnight ago, so it will be interesting how he performs in the intermediate boys’ discus, javelin and shot put.
Jack Nesdale is a strong contender in the senior discus, as is Guy Peterson in the intermediate boys’ javelin.
Jamie Davidson is our sole representative in the para events and will compete in the 100m, 200m and shot put.
■ The beginning of April marks the beginning of the cross country and road season and Feilding Moa report they had a good turnout for their opening run.
The first major event on the winter calendar is always the popular Anzac Relays held at Scoutlands, near Whanganui.
One of the things I have been wondering about is that with harrier clubs traditionally competing on a Saturday, what effect will this have on attendances at the popular Parkrun.
I know a number of the harriers have been using this event as part of their training.
■ Of course, this week marks the start of the Commonwealth Games on Australia’s Gold Coast, although the athletic events are not starting until the following week.
I have commented on more than one occasion at my concern at the effect the imposed quota will have on the individual sports and from what I’m hearing, the entries in track and field events are disappointing.