Fafeita leads local charge

Wairarapa will have strong representation, both in terms of numbers and quality, at the national secondary schools track and field championships in Wellington on Saturday and Sunday.

Two of the top medal winning prospects will be in the throws, with Alex Fafeita (Wairarapa College) sure to make a huge impact in the senior boys hammer throw and shot put. One of his main rivals in the latter will be Tim Girling-McLean (Rathkeale College) who moves into the senior ranks after performing exceptionally well at the junior levels.

It is in the relays where Wairarapa could shine on the track with the Wairarapa College senior girls 4 by 100m and 4 by 400m teams both being capable of a podium finish.

Team entries from Wairarapa are:

St Matthew's Collegiate: Tessa Laven, junior girls 400m.

Tararua College: Ashley Exeter, AWD (athletes with disability) girls discus, AWD girls javelin, AWD girls shot put.

Rathkeale College: Senior boys 4 by 400m relay; Tim Girling-McLean, senior boys shot put, senior boys discus; Michael Hammond, senior boys 800m, senior boys 1500m; Edward Hewitt, junior boys 400m; Callum Hobbs-Turner, junior boys 400m; Dylan Lord-Bune, senior boys 800m, senior boys 1500m; Tom Quinn, senior boys 800m; Dhruv Raman, junior boys 400m; Ben Taylor, junior boys shot put, junior boys discus; Finn Yeats, junior boys shot put, junior boys high jump.

Wairarapa College: Senior girls 4 by 100m relay, senior girls 4 by 100m relay; Alison Andrews-Paul, junior girls 800m, junior girls 1500m; April Campbell, senior girls 100m, senior girls 100m hurdles; Molly Creagh, senior girls 400m; Alex Fafeita, senior boys hammer throw, senior boys discus, senior boys shot put; Samantha Hodgins, junior girls 800m, junior girls 1500m; Emma Kruszona, junior girls hammer throw, junior girls discus; Stefan Kruszona, senior boys hammer throw, senior boys discus, senior boys shot put; Laura McKenna, senior girls 200m, senior girls 100m; Stevie Paine, senior girls 400m, senior girls 800m; Dennis Peseta, senior boys shot put, senior boys discus; Katie Smith, junior girls shot put, junior girls discus; Maria Taylor, junior girls hammer throw, junior girls discus; Keelan Ward, AWD boys 400m AWD boys 100m, AWD boys 200m.