The Beamish brothers both won Whanganui Collegiate Schools titles but were not at school at the same time. Both won New Zealand Secondary Schools Championships (Hugo in 2006 and Geordie in 2014) and both went on to successful USA Scholarships. Geordie was sixth in the 2022 Commonwealth Games 5000m and is currently preparing for the World Athletics in Budapest.
The Beamish family are not the only family to win New Zealand Schools titles and there will be more in the future. However, the Wilson family who attended Sacred Heart College in Auckland went one step further.
Declan won in 2010 and in 2011, brother Finn won in 2013 with the younger sibling Conal winning in 2015. On the world scene, there would be no family that could match the Ingebrigtsen brothers although as there is nine years in age difference even with their world-class prowess could not have won three age group titles at school together.
David was the first of the Sinclair brothers to face the starter on Friday and he quickly went to the front of the field over the first of two 1500 metre laps. He extended this lead over the second lap in a muddy course and one in which in four sections they had to face a gnarly westerly wind. He won by over 30 seconds from Harvey teammate Blake Candish.
Thirteen-year-old Sinclair’s winning 3000 metre time was 10 minutes 27 seconds, the sixth fastest of the day of the 374 students running on Friday.
David’s brother Matthew in winning the Intermediate Boys grade was the fifth fastest. Matthew opened a sizeable gap over the first lap but a tenacious second lap from Nate Burke, in what was Burke’s best-ever effort, halved the gap to close within 11 seconds at the finish with Oliver Toohey a further ten seconds in arrears.
That left Daniel to complete the Sinclair trifecta. Daniel had run for New Zealand Schools in 2021 when he had finished eighth at New Zealand Schools and won his second black singlet last year after finishing fourth at the New Zealand Schools Championships. He started as overwhelming favourite.
The only question being by how much and how fast he would run. It was certainly fast and under the conditions 9minutes 7 seconds for the journey was outstanding. Year 12 Toby Caro finished second and ran well to keep the gap to a smidgeon over 30 seconds with Oliver Jones produced an excellent effort to take third with Sinclair’s cousin James Hercus in fourth.
There was considerable pre- race interest in the senior girls race with three national class contenders.
Unfortunately, Rosa Meyer, who in April had taken the 3000-metre bronze at the North Island Schools withdrew with a rolled ankle leaving New Zealand Schools representatives Amy McHardy to battle for the title with in-form fellow Schools International Louise Brabyn.
Brabyn proved the stronger on the day to finish in an encouraging 10 minutes 37 seconds with McHardy recording 10 minutes 58 seconds.
14- year- old Hannah Byam won the first race of the day in the Junior Girls. Byam who had a promising debut at last year’s New Zealand School’s Cross Country ran strongly to finish in 11minutes 39 seconds with Year 9 Tilly Darke finishing second twelve seconds further back with Zoe Broadhead third.
Greta Darke took the Intermediate Girls with strong front running with Olivia Gilbertson winning her first podium finish in second with Varni McDougall third. Darke is a senior for New Zealand Schools, while Gilbertson will captain a strong under 16 team built around the strength demonstrated in depth in the junior race.
Grey retained the House Trophy with wins in both the standards and team races with Harvey House finishing second.
The leading runners will compete at New Zealand Schools on June 17 which I will preview next week.
