Sprinter set for Oceania championships
South Canterbury sprinter athlete Anna Hayward is looking forward to her busy schedule at the Oceania Area and Combined Events Championships in Fiji.
Hayward is set to run the 100m and 200m sprints plus the 400m in Suva.
‘‘It wait.’’
It the first time the 17-year-old has represented New Zealand.
She departs on Sunday with her first event on Thursday.
Hayward’s busy schedule could even get more hectic if she is selected in relay team. is really exciting, I can’t
Athletics New Zealand has already invited her to join their expanded relay squad, which trains for major events.
Hayward has been doing athletics since was 10, but has really come to the fore over the past couple of seasons. Her favoured event is the 400m. ‘‘I like it as it is much more of a challenge, I am not sure why, but it is a hard race and it takes a bit to recover.’’
Hayward said she was not sure who she would be up against.
‘‘There will be Australians and quite a few of the island nations represented.’’
Her goal is lower her personal best times.
‘‘I’m not sure of anyone else’s times.’’
Hayward’s selection came after putting in the hard work over the winter, which she admitted at time had been quite tough in the cold.
‘‘My last competition was the beginning of April.’’
She was thankful to walker Alice Ritchie, who had at times trained with her.
Hayward’s dedication however saw her pull out of the Craighead senior hockey team to concentrate on athletics.
‘‘I wanted to give it my full focus and didn’t want to sustain an injury.’’
The Craighead runner was one of 55 Kiwi athletes named to go but is the only one from South Canterbury attending the the five-day championships, which features senior, under-20 and under-18 competitions.
She has trained six days a week with on Fridays off.
Coach Grant Lord said Hayward was deserving of selection.
‘‘She had worked really hard. It is also great she has been included in the wider New Zealand relay squad, a bit like Jacob Matson was a couple of years ago.’’
Lord said South Canterbury had a proud record when it came to young athletes going to Oceania.
‘‘Anna has kept that going and I am she she will perform very well.’’