Athletics: HB teen comes of age in tropics

Georgia Hulls, of Havelock North High School, with her haul of gold and silver medals at the Oceania Athletics Championship in Suva, Fiji, last weekend. Photo/Paul Taylor

Another trip and another incremental step for budding Hawke's Bay athlete Georgia Hulls but it wasn't just about the bling.

This time sprinter Hulls returned from 2017 Oceania Area Athletics Championship in Suva, Fiji, having broken out of her cocoon.

"I did it this time without my coach or family there," said the 17-year-old after returning from the five-day championship, which ended last Sunday.

"I realised I can do it on my own and I can organise it myself," said Hulls whose father, Dean Hulls, mentors her.

While she would rather have her father with her, she has returned wiser and comfortable in the knowledge she is capable of making decisions.

Besides, Hulls had the benefit of consulting the coaches assigned to the New Zealand team while staying at the adjacent University of the South Pacific campus, although she didn't resort to that.

The Havelock North High School pupil won gold in the under-20 100m, 200m and 400m track events and also helped the New Zealand relay teams win silver medals in the 4 x 100m and the 4 x 400m relays.

In doing so, Hulls smashed the Oceania meet record in the 100m, eclipsing her own time of 12.20s established three years ago by 0.1 of a second.

She also improved her 400m personal best time of 56.90s previously to 55.40s.

Hull had broken the 200m meet record of 24.8s with a flat 24s but Jessica Payne, of Australia, slashed it further in another heat to 23.96s before Hull went on to clinch the final in 24.01s.

"We all thought the time would be broken again in the final but I had just done all the other races so we were tired and it didn't happen," she said, revealing she established a PB of 23.71s at the Hamilton Classic earlier this year.

For Hull the Oceania meet wasn't about records but just racing on the day.

A stiff head wind, owing to the venue's location a stone's throw from the beach, made it quite challenging for everyone.

Humidity wasn't a factor for the teenager in her second Oceania championship.

Her first was to Rarotonga, in the Cook Islands, in 2014.

"I've run in a few quite hot and humid places before but I'm sure it would have affected quite a few other people."

Considering it was midwinter, Hulls was satisfied with the times she clocked in the Pacific Island nation.

Her next focus is the National Secondary Schools' Championship, to be staged at Hawke's Bay Regional Sports Park in Hastings in November, although she is keeping her fingers crossed the odd meeting in New Zealand or Australia will also crop up.