Athletes deliver goods for Easter

Easter Saturday and Sunday saw most of the country’s top 12 and 13-year-old athletes competing on the Manawatu¯ Community Athletic Track, as the city hosted the Athletics New Zealand 12 and13 years Interprovincial Teams Event.

They certainly did not disappoint with the stadium listing of the best performances on the track for 12 and 13-year-olds needing to be almost completely rewritten after the completion of the competition with 26 new records being established.

All competitors were required to compete in both track and field events, with points being accumulated by their performances. At the end of the two days, Canterbury proved to be the top scoring team with Auckland second and Wellington third.

Competing against the best in the country saw local athletes rise to the occasion with many personal bests recorded. Taylor Hall was one of the standouts competing in the boys’ 13 events.

He finished second in the 400m in a personal best of 54.72 seconds, fifth in the 800m in a personal best of 2 minutes 13.00s, as well as a personal best of 5.35metres in the long jump and 25.26s in the 200m.

These performances saw him rated as the seventh best athlete in his grade – a tremendous achievement.

Hayley Cornwallwas second in the girls-13 800m, with Courtney Fitzgibbon running a personal best of a great 4m57.89s in the 1500m for fifth.

In the 12-year-old girls events Julietmckinlay bettered 14s for the first time, recording 13.92s in the 100m. She followed up with another personal best in the 200m running 29.13s, and had a great third overall placing in 80m hurdles winning her division in 13.85s.

Cadee Hampson ran a personal best of 67.29s in the 400m.

The relays are always a great conclusion to the meeting, and it was great to see the homeo relay team of Samuel Tolmie, Layla Duker, Samantha Greenwood and Hall finished very strongly.

Hall ran a great mixed 4x100 to come second.

Specialmention must go to the club athletes who did such a good job helping out as volunteers.

This weekend sees a team of 43 athletes travelling to Hamilton, representing Manawatu¯ at the North Island Secondary Schools championship.

This team would be one of the strongestwe have seen in recent years, and we expect some outstanding results.

Looking at the senior boys’ events, Angus Lyver is a top prospect in both the long jump and the 200m sprint.

Dirki Botha and Aden Porritt race in the 400m, with Botha also running the 800m. Porritt will contest the 300m hurdles.

Caleb Evans jumps in the triple jump and will sprint the 200m.

He will be joined by Luke Te Moana, who will also contest the 100m.

Braxton Kauri will contest the senior boys 110m hurdles and the under-16 300m hurdles, an event he is expected to do well in.

The intermediate boys will see Forbes Kennedy in the long jump and the 200m.

The junior boyswill see Hall as a good prospect in both the 300m and the long jump after his good performances last weekend.

The senior girls will see Courtney Trow in action in the high jump and 200m, while in the longer races Emma Ferguson and Adelaide Roper are our entrants.

The intermediate girls result is one I’m looking forward to, such is the local talent.

Addira and Chayille Collette have been in outstanding form and are entered in both the 100m and 200m sprints.

Monique Gorriewill go out one of the favourites in the 400m, while Kimberley Walsh should not be overlooked as a prospect in both the 200m and 400m races.

Jayde Rolfe’s performances are often overshadowed by the other talented club athletes, but I wouldn’t be surprised to see her among the 400m finalists.

Amber Trow is one to watch in the high jump. In the junior girls, Kahurangi Skudder is an interesting entry having missed out on competing inmanawatu¯ Secondary Schools, but is highly rated to dowell in the 100m and 200m where shewill be joined by Eden Rolfe. Hannah Cadzow will run the 200m as well as the 300m.

Hayley Cornwall is another highly rated athlete and will run both the 800m and 1500m races, with Courtney Fitzgibbon joining her in the 1500m and also running the 3000m.

We have 10 teams entered in the relay events and can expect some great results.