Athletics: Young throwers put the hammer down

The Northland 4 x 100m Senior Boys relay team after their event. Left to Right: Carlos Wirihana, Euan Sapwell, Scott Gregory, Scott Robinson.

Northland Secondary Schools were well represented by a team of 30 athletes at the North Island Secondary Schools Track and Field Championships.

Hammer throwers led the way with impressive performances on the first afternoon of competition.

Aimee-Leigh Scott of Whangarei Girls' High School (WGHS) became the Junior Girls champion with a throw of 38.09m that broke the current North Island record by over 2m.

Whangarei Boys' High School's (WBHS) Nik Kini and Jordyn Hetaraka (Okaihau) finished first and second respectively in the Junior Boys event.

Scott Gregory (WBHS) broke the Intermediate record of 49.71m that he set last year with a throw of 57.26m.

Aimee-Leigh Scott also went on to place fifth in discus and third in 70m junior hurdles.

Hetaraka placed third in his discus and sixth in shot put while Scott placed second in his discus and third in shot put.

Northland's track athletes produced a mixed bag of results over their two days of competition.

A highlight for Northland's team manager and regional sports director, Robyn Richards, was the performance of the Senior Boys relay team who placed seventh.

"We were the only team practicing without a baton. The unavailability of one athlete caused a bit of a team reshuffle so that in the end we had two sprinters, a jumper and a thrower."

In other track events, Georgia Brierly (Rodney) made three finals all on the first full day of competition in the Junior 100m, 300m and 800m.

Kelsey Jellick (WGHS) finished fifth in both the Senior 100m and 200m finals.

Kerikeri's Imogen Hull's best performance was a third in her Senior 3000m, whilst Euan Sapwell (WBHS) placed seventh in his Intermediate 100m final and second in his 400m final.