Athletics: Napier Harriers stamp class at showgrounds

Laura Langley. Photo / Duncan Brown

Napier Harriers dominated during the Hastings Steeplechase at the Hawke's Bay Showgrounds where 100 runners from three clubs tackled the various grades on Saturday.

In the combined cubs' grade 1500m race, Kylah Gun from Palmerston North won 6m 23s followed by Hastings runner Jonty Roil in 6m 36s with clubmate Harry Luxford third in 6m 40s.

Promising Napier runner Aniela Apperley claimed victory in the combined boys' and girls' 12 and under 1500m race in 5m50s followed by Palmerston North's Kimberley Walsh in 5m54sec. Charlie Roil, of Hastings, was third in 5m 58s.

Nina Boesch, of Napier, came from behind to win the girls' 14-and-under 3km race in 12m 26s from clubmate Alia Wentz who stopped the clock at 13m 02s.

Ruby Brett, of Hastings, was third in 13m25s. In the same race, Emily Dunn, of Napier, was a convincing winner of the girls' 16-and-under grade in 12m 07s from Francis Allen, of Palmerston North, in 13m09s. Napier's Carolyne Nel was third 13m40s.

World walking team's championship representative Laura Langley, of Napier, showed a clean pair of heels in the women's 19-and-under grade over 3km with a winning time of 12m 30s. Jharna Melbourne, of Palmerston North, was second in 13m 45s and Sinead Darmody, from Hastings Harriers, third in 14m 55s.

The boys' under-14 and 16 race was a good battle within the grades with Ollie Marshall (Napier) applying pressure on leading 16-and-under runner Mark Day, from St John's College, during the last half lap in their 3km race to take out first place in the 14-and-under grade in 10m 52s from clubmate Max Taylor in 11m 31s and Palmerston's North's Bradyn Popow in 12m 16s.

Day won the 16-and-under race in 11m 04sec from Alex Langley, of Napier, in 11m44s and Hastings runner Regan Singer in 11m 57s.

Only two competed in the senior women's 4.5km race with Mellisa Black winning in 18m 44s.

Karen Moore, of Napier, claimed her maiden harrier victory when she won the women's masters grade in 20:11. Masterton harrier Andrea Harris was second (21:36) and Nneka Okonta, of Napier, third.

William Little and Zac Manning, both of Napier, were first and second, respectively, in the boys' 19-and-under 4.5km race.

Little's time of 17m 17s was 10s faster than Manning.

In the senior men/masters men's race over 6km Kristian Day, of Napier, took out the senior grade in 20m 54s after a tussle virtually all the way with David Lovelock, of Palmerston North, who was second in 21m 01s. Lucas Duross, of Napier, was third in 21m17s.

Phil McKay, of Hastings Harriers, won the masters grade in 24m37s from Craig Mathers, of Napier, and Jake Jacobs running 25m09s and 25m32s, respectively.