Athletics: Junior hurdler qualifies for Beijing

Auckland-based Veronica Torr qualified for the August world junior championships in Beijing with a 100m hurdle time of 14.16sec in Hamilton yesterday.

Torr, who has been chasing the 14.24sec target for most of the season, won the women's 19 and under title, beating Fiona Morrison of Canterbury and Rochelle Coster of Auckland at the NZ junior championship event.

"I'm just stoked to finally get it. I haven't hurdled for two years as I have suffered from fractures in the back," Torr said.

Meanwhile, the Athletics North women 4 x 400m relay team of Elena Hewitt, Bianca Lawrie, Jennifer Connor and Sophie Healey set a New Zealand record of 3m 54.22sec.

Jordan Vandermade, of Auckland, followed up his record-breaking decathlon the previous week in Palmerston North with impressive victories in the men's 19 and under division 400m, javelin and discus.

David Thompson from Otago excelled in the men's 16 and under grade, winning the high and triple jumps, coming second in the long jump and winning the men's 19 and under long jump.

Kieran Fowler of Canterbury was also successful in the men's 16 and under with wins in the shot put, discus, long jump and 110m hurdles.

Graeme Read of Athletics North came back from injury to win the men's 19 and under sprint double with times of 10.71sec in the 100m and 22.10sec in the 200m.

Hayden McLaren of Canterbury made a bold attempt at the 1500m time for the world junior champs but ended up nearly five seconds outside the standard, winning in 3min 52.70sec.

Zane Robertson of Waikato did a Murray Halberg in the men's 16 and under 1500m, taking off with nearly two laps remaining, offering a challenge of catch me if you can.

Robertson held on to win in 4m 4.82sec from fast finishing Dallas Bowden of Tasman 4m 4.89sec and Dominic Channon of Tasman.

Sarah Saddleton of Auckland won both grades high jumps, while Auckland's Jonathan Macfarlane added the men's 19 and under shot put title to the senior men's title won in Christchurch last month.

Nick Kalivati, of Wellington, who has already qualified in the 400m hurdles for the Beijing championships, won in 53.79sec, ahead of fast finishing Byron Smith of North. Smith went on to win the 110m hurdles.

Andrew Underwood of Wellington was faster than the men's 19 and under division in taking the men's 16 and under 200m in 21.96sec and the 400m in 48.24sec.

- NZPA