Look before you leap

Gisborne Girls’ High School student Jacqueline Kennedy was among the winners at the East Coast North Island secondary school cross-country championships at Showgrounds Park. Jacqueline won the junior girls’ race. Picture by Liam Clayton

Over 160 students from as far away as Wairoa took part in the East Coast North Island secondary school cross-country championships at Showgrounds Park this week.

The students competed in three boys and girls categories — Year 9, junior and senior.

The event usually involves top runners from Hawke’s Bay schools but they ran their own one at home due to Cyclone Gabrielle.

Sport Gisborne Tairāwhiti organised the Gisborne champs and thanked all the competitors, kaiako (teachers), volunteers and assistants on the day.

Results (top three) — Year 9 girls: Bonnie Mason (Campion College) 1; Vegas Lawler (Gisborne Girls’ High) 2;  Isabelle Higgins (GGHS) 3.

Y9 boys: TK Tumainu (Wairoa College) 1; Sol Beavins (Gisborne Boys’ High) 2; Micah Tapsell (Manutuke) 3.

Junior girls: Jacqueline Kennedy (GGHS) 1; Emily Petro (GGHS) 2; Rio Sasamoto (GGHS) 3.

Junior boys: Levi Hune (Man) 1; Finn Coker (GBHS) 2; Koby Gooch (GBHS) 3.

Senior girls: Lily Heuser (Camp) 1; Hannah Webb (GGHS) 2; Dara Mulrooney (Camp) 3.

Senior boys: Callum Hawkins (GBHS) 1; Tom Kerley (Wairoa) 2; James Vennell (Wairoa) 3.