Athletics: Attwell at all-round best in Rarotonga

Max Attwell celebrates his performance with Jessica Sloan in Rarotonga. PHOTO/SUPPLIED

Wanganui Collegiate's all-round athlete Max Attwell was at his absolute best in the Cook Islands this week when winning gold at the Oceania Area Championships.

Competing in Rarotonga in the Junior (Under-20) Octathlon - which is a eight different disciplines - Attwell made five personal bests across the spectrum to finish with a combined 5282 points, which was 133 points ahead of Australian Lachlan Calvert.

Attwell was selected for the New Zealand team in April and Collegiate senior master Alec McNab said the victory built on his outstanding summer in various decathlon (10 disciplines) events.

"The win and the standard of performance is a significant step up for this promising young athlete," McNab said.

"The high jump was probably the pick of his events.

"His previous best of 1.95m had been set at Wanganui Secondary Schools [competition].

"In Rarotonga, he jumped 1.99m - only one centimetre shy of Scott Newman's Collegiate record of 2m, set back in 1987."

On day one of the events, Attwell ran the 100m in 11.37s and threw the shotput 9.94m, both personal bests.

He also reached the 6.04m mark in long jump and completed the 400m in 50.86s.

Entering day two, Attwell finished the 110m hurdles in 17.47s, and then would make PBs in the remaining three events.

As well as the high jump, he threw 38.81m in the javelin, and finally completed the 1000m run in 2m 41.70s.

Watching was New Zealand team manager Jessica Sloan, a former athlete and Wanganui High School alumna.

"Great competition for Matt, ticked all right boxes, with doing everything right," she said in an email to McNab.