Covid-19 interrupts Manawatu¯ athletes
The change in Covid-19 alert levels last weekend hit athletics in a major way. With Auckland at alert level 3 and the rest of the country at alert level 2, the New Zealand Track and Field Championships in Hawke’s Bay, scheduled to run from yesterday to tomorrow, would not proceed.
It is not possible to hold an event of this size under the restrictions.
Athletics New Zealand have since confirmed a modified version of the championships will take place in Hawke’s Bay on March 26 and 27, featuring only the under-20 grade and senior athlete grade events.
This is disappointing news for Manawatu¯ athletes, particularly as Manawatu¯-whanganui’s strength is in the under-18 age grades.
These athletes will now have to focus on the Manawatu¯ and North Island secondary school championships.
■ The masters athletes were more fortunate because their national championships were last weekend in Inglewood, and only the final day needed to be adjusted to meet Covid19 regulations.
Brayden Grant performed well, winning gold medals in the M35 grade in the 60m, 100m, 200m, 400m and 800m events.
His winning time in the 400m of 50.16 seconds was a national record.
Andrew Matsuoka Webber was second in the 100m, 200m and 400m races.
Hayden Robinson won the M40 400m and was third in the 100m and 200m races.
These three athletes, together with Kevin Fee, combined to win the M35 4x100m relay in a new national record of 49.15s.
Fee, an M55 grade athlete, won a gold medal in the 800m and was second in the 1500m.
Brian Curry also competed in the M55 grade events, winning the pole vault and finishing second in the high jump.
Laurie Malcolmson won the M70 javelin and was third in the weight throw.
Gillian Evans, in the W70 events, won the javelin and high jump and finished second in the discus, shot put and weight throw.
Dalemcmillan was third in the W50 60m and fourth in the javelin.
Jen Fee was the silver medallist in thew55 discus and the bronze medallist in the shot put.
■ There were good performances at last Tuesday’s club night. Courtney Trow achieved a 5.16m leap, and Sam Mackinder was second with a 4.99m effort.
Quinn Collis was consistent with his best of 4.72m. Forbes Kennedy’s best effort was 6.39m. Mila Stassen continues to dominate her girls 10 races, winning the 60m, 100m and 300m races by comfortable margins.
The Singleton girls figured prominently in the results, with Imogen racing younger sister Phoebe in the girls 8-and-under races, and Ella winning the girls 9 races.
We had full fields in the open women’s sprints and Addira Collette won the 60m, with sister Chayille second and Kyra Tikitiki third.
Placings were reversed in the 100m, with Chayille first, Addirra second and Monique Gorrie third.
Gorrie won the 300m, with Kimberley Walsh second and Jayde Rolfe third.
Zac Topping completed the trifecta in the men’s sprints, winning the 60m, 100m and 300m.
Earlier in themeeting Sam Phillips ran his first sub-2 minute 800m, stopping the clock at 1m 59.11s.
■ At last Saturday’s Sir Graeme Douglas meeting inauckland, Noah Macdermid ran yet another personal best when he finished second in the 800m B race, stopping the clock at 1m54.76s. Kara Macdermid ran in the feature 1500m and finished fourth in a season’s best of 4m 19.64s.
■ Next week will see the Manawatu¯ Community Athletics Track fully booked with many secondary schools holding their championships, subject to Covid-19 restrictions. Monday is the turn of Cornerstone Christian School, with Palmerston North Girls’ High School at the track on Tuesday.
Awatapu College will be there on Wednesday and spectators will be able to view the Palmerston North Boys’ High School march-past and athletics championships on Thursday. Freyberg High School will complete the busy week with its championships on Friday.