Jack leads Gisborne club charge at Colgate Games

THIS JACK IS NIMBLE, THIS JACK IS QUICK: Gisborne teenager Jack Sadler led the Gisborne Athletics Club performance at the annual North Island Colgate Games held at Hamilton’s Porritt Stadium. Jack won gold in the 13 years boys’ 100 metres in a time of 11.74 seconds; the 200m in 23.55sec; and the 400m in 54.89sec. His outstanding achievement was testament to his talent and commitment including travelling to Hastings every two weeks to train under Hawke’s Bay Gisborne Athletics development officer Emma Akeripa. Jack is looking to add to his medal haul and follow in the footsteps of other top young Gisborne Athletics Club members at the South Island Colgate Games that start in Dunedin tomorrow

ATHLETICS

HUNDREDS of kilometres by foot and wheel went into Jack Sadler’s golden treble at the North Island Colgate Games children’s athletics championships in Hamilton.

Jack was the stand-out performer of the eight-strong Gisborne Athletics Club’s team at the annual Games held at Porritt Stadium.

Competing in the 13 years boys’ age group, he won the 100 metres, 200m and 400m titles — a significant achievement in only his second season of competitive athletics.

His success was a combination of talent, hard work and expert coaching.

This season Jack has been coached by Hawke’s Bay Gisborne Athletics development officer Emma Akeripa. It has involved him travelling to Hastings every fortnight and a traininig programme in between sessions.

The results speak for themselves.

Jack got faster with each race of the 100 and 200.

He won his 100 heat in 11.89 seconds, the semi in 11.82 and final in 11.74 — 0.8 ahead of the second-placed runner.

The 200 followed a similar script — 24.30 in winning his heat, 23.68 in his semi and 23.55 in the final.

He cruised to third in 59.22 in his 400 heat and won the final by 0.4 in 54.93.

The club was once again proudly represented.

As well as Jack’s fine performances, five other club members competed strongly in the senior (10 years and over) age groups.

Evelyn Busher turned up at 9am raring to go in the 12yrs girls’ 800m only for the two heats to be combined for a straight final not held until 3pm.

She was never going to die wondering, taking the lead after 300m and picking up the pace. It was a gutsy move, with risk of her running out of steam. She dropped a couple of places but held on, then finished strongly for bronze in a time of 2 minutes 32.31 seconds.

Hinerauri Cotter-Luke competed well across the weekend in the 13yrs girls’ age group. She ran a personal best 28.87 to make the semifinals of the 200m and also made the 100 semis.

Ahenata Cotter-Luke jumped strongly in making the top 20 of the long jump in the 11yrs girls’ division, and ran PBs in the 100 and 200.

Ruby Sadler, competing in the 10yrs girls’ section, made the semifinals of the 200m and recorded PBs in the 100, 200 and 400.

The Gisborne club’s younger competitors — Rory Gifford (7yrs boys), Michaela Kaye (8yrs girls) and Manaia Kayne (9yrs boys) all turned in fine displays in their track and field ribbon events.

It can be a daunting experience competing against so many athletes but the trio lapped it up and thrived in the atmosphere.

Jack is back in action tomorrow at the South Island Colgate Games in Dunedin.