Locals shine in Wellington

Northland athletes were among the 1500 competitors contesting the New Zealand Secondary Schools Track and Field Championships in Wellington.

Individuals achieved excellent results in both track and field events at the meeting held during the weekend.

Tauraroa Area School's Riana Phillips made a remarkable debut in her first year contesting the senior ranks, running a solid 400m race.

After comfortably winning her quarter-final, Phillips progressed to the semifinal where she ran a personal best time of 60.26 seconds to qualify for the final. She bettered her time again in the final, running across the line in fourth in a time of 60.12secs.

Fellow Athletics Whangarei member Imogen Hull, who attends Kerikeri High School, finished sixth in the junior girls 3000m final, while the busiest athlete at the meeting was junior sprinter Levi Clarke.

During the two days of competition, the Kerikeri High School student ran seven times, setting personal best times in both the 100m and 200m.

He ran the 100m in 11.91secs, and the 200m in 23.69secs, which saw him reach the final where he finished eighth. Unfortunately, Kaitaia College's Terrick Mill pulled a hamstring during his favoured 100m event.

A stellar performance in the field saw Kaitaia College's EJ Nathan win a bronze medal in the senior boys discus event.

Nathan, who is a member of the Rio 2016 squad - a development squad aiming to get its members to the 2016 Olympic Games in Brazil - gained valuable experience at the meeting. His final legal throw of exactly 50m secured third place for the 17-year-old. Nathan also placed sixth in the final of the shotput, with his throw of 14.97m.

His schoolmate Te Ruawai Herbert-Brown placed sixth in the senior girls hammer throw. Kerikeri High School's Karalee Whiu was also a double finalist with two seventh places in the shot and discus. Another thrower to do well was Excellere College's Brittany Rollo, who despite not making the final, placed 11th in the senior girls javelin with a personal best performance of 32.66m.

Meanwhile, LJ Hooker Athletics Whangarei and Northland Masters runner Mark Lett took out the 200m at the Auckland Masters Top Team Meeting held at Mount Smart on Sunday. Mark was also runner-up in the 400m.