Potts Classic success for Gisborne

RIBBON SUCCESS: Gisborne Athletics Club members who did well at the Potts Classic meeting in Hastings are, right (from left), Hannah O’Connor, Holly Jackson, Briana Irving and Coby Irving. Pictures supplied

GISBORNE athletes followed up success at the North Island Colgate Games with strong showings at the prestigious Allan and Sylvia Potts Classic in Hastings.

Fresh from her starring performance at the Games, Briana Irving won the under-14 800 metres handicap final. She also decided to give the 100m handicap race a go, qualifying for the final and placing third.

Fellow Gisborne Athletics Club member Seven Mapu made the final of the u14 boys’ 100m handicap race. He placed fourth.

The handicap races featured two qualifiers from each age group and the finals were held as part of the evening programme.

Gisborne Girls’ High’s Holly Jackson raced in the women’s 400 metres and placed fifth.

Children's ribbon age groupA group of Gisborne club members competed in the children’s ribbon age group (3-14 years) meeting held during the day.

Briana won the 13-year girls’ 100m and 1500m while Seven won the 12yrs boys’ long jump, and was second in the 100m and third in the 200m.

Hannah O’Connor won the 8yrs girls’ 200m and was second in the 60m, 100m and long jump.

Coby Irving, Briana’s younger brother, was second in the 11yrs high jump.

It was the 17th Potts Classic meeting, named after Olympic and Commonwealth Games middle-distance runner Sylvia Potts and husband and long-time New Zealand track coach/selector and 2002-2003 Athletics New Zealand president Allan.

Both died of cancer, Sylvia in 1999 and Allan in 2014.

The 2016 meeting featured prominent competitors such as Olympic medallist Nick Willis, who won the 800m, Olympian Angie Pette, who won the women’s 800m title for the seventh year running, two-time world junior shotput champion Jacko Gill and a strong contingent from Australia.