Athletics: Spirits run high despite deluge

By MURRAY McKINNON

Michael Stringer of Dargaville shone through the driving rain to win the northern region senior men's 800m athletics championship in 1m 54.29s on the North Shore yesterday.

The promising 16-year-old moved up to the senior ranks to gain the higher-level competition and a resulting faster time.

Richard Kee of Counties livened up the pace down the back straight on the last lap, but Stringer stuck to the task and produced a fine turn of speed over the final 100m. Jamie Voss was second in 1m 54.97s and former national champion Mark Turner came third.

Stringer, third in last season's New Zealand under-18 championship, is ranked eighth in the country this season with a best of 1m 53.18s.

Matthew Coad of Counties Manukau followed up his club's victory in the national league championship in Christchurch last week with a personal best 100m effort of 10.44s.

The 1998 NZ champ was up against three-times former champ Gus Nketia. From the start it looked all Nketia, until the final 5m when Coad dug deep and edged past Nketia for victory.

"I hope it is the start of something better," said a delighted Coad.

The 25-year-old shifted to Auckland from Wellington last season to be coached by Jonathon Moyle. "We've made a few changes, which seemed to have worked. I did more running during the winter."

Chantal Brunner, racing into a slight head wind, was sharp in the 100m, clocking her fastest time this season of 11.72s.

Tony Pownall with 14.48s and Nic O'Brien in 14.57s posted the best 110m hurdles times in the country this year.

Craig Barrett, aiming for the Edmonton world championships 50km road walk, executed one of his best 3000m track walks for a time of 12m 16.25s.

Craig Bearda dominated the under-20 sprints, with four gold medals. He equalled his best 100m with 10.97s, set a personal best 400m of 49.73s, anchored Counties to the gold in the 4 x 100m relay and splashed his way to victory in the 200m in 22.46s.

The McDonald twins from Tauranga, Kyle and Iain, went first and second in both the under-18 1500m and 3000m and another promising Tauranga runner, Glenn Hughes, won the under-20 1500m, 300m and 2000m steeplechase.