Bellevue Athletics enjoy record medal haul

LOVING IT: Bellevue Athletics Club runners, left to right, Maia Basile, Kayli Tuiraviravi, Jess Bell, Abigail Griffiths and Alex Ormsby. PHOTO: ANDREW WARNER

Bellevue Athletics Club continues to set the standards in Waikato/Bay of Plenty athletics.

The club won the biggest haul in their history at the prestigious North Island Colgate Games for athletes under 14 held in Hastings last month.

Bay of Plenty's largest junior athletics club entered 38 individual athletes, up from 12 last year, and eight relay teams. In the 10-14 age group they won 12 individual and three team relay medals, plus a swag of pennants in the 7-9 age category.

The Colgate Games has been the country's supreme National Junior Athletics Championship for athletes aged 7-14 since 1978. In Hastings there were 1340 entrants competing in 5463 individual events.

Bellevue club president Ruth Tuiraviravi said the medal haul totally exceeded pre-event expectations and was remarkable when you compared it to last year's results.

"The Colgate's a year ago I think we came away with maybe three medals so we thought double that but we went to 12 individual and three relays so that was huge," she said.

"Everyone is amped and pumped by the results. But we were also noted at the Colgate's not only for our performance but also for our good attitude which was really cool. We were good winners."

So what has caused such a dramatic turnaround in performance and numbers participating at Bellevue?

The post-Rio Olympic surge in popularity of many sports including athletics was a factor, as was holding weekly club nights at the excellent facilities at Tauranga Domain and having several good coaches.

Tuiraviravi said their club structure was another key factor.

"I know that from feedback we have been given. I know we provide a really good evening structure where we are splitting kids off into age and gender with a team leader, so they are getting age specific coaching and attention which is huge.

"We also go very inclusive so if little Johnny takes half a minute to do 100 metres that's fine. We are not going to exclude anyone because of ability. You can come in and have an awesome evening because you just want to be here or you can come here and discover your passion.

"We have a few that will end up with athletics being their chosen sport which will hopefully take them onto worlds and wherever."