Athletics: New lights shine at Whanganui Secondary Schools Championships

Rangitīkei College's Hayden Stead (right) won the intermediate boys' 100m title at the Whanganui Secondary Schools Track and Field Championships.

As in the past, the Whanganui Secondary Schools Track and Field Championships held last week in perfect conditions confirmed the form of established athletes, the return of athletes from other codes and revealed some exciting new faces.

While the depth and size of some of the fields may be diminished, especially in events over 400 metres, and the move a few years ago from the afternoon to an evening championship under lights has reduced the number of spectators, there was still much to be excited about at this year’s championships.

The emergence of new faces is always exciting and vital. Although these breakthroughs are usually in the junior ranks, they can also occur at older levels.

Rangitīkei College athlete Hayden Stead (my apologies for recording him as Hayden Steele last week) impressed with his win in the intermediate boys’ 100m, where he ran a time of 12.06 seconds to beat a trio of Whanganui Collegiate sprinters who had reached the New Zealand Schools semifinal in December and came within a tenth of a second of relay bronze. Stead had run the fastest heat in the 200m, but was run out of a podium place in the final. Stead was second in the long jump and third in the high jump.

Daniel McMillan-Steele (Whanganui High School) impressed by taking the junior boys’ sprint double (12.23 in the 100m and 26.32 in the 200m), which could start an exciting career, while Grace Fannin (Whanganui Girls’ College) won both the junior 300m and 800m, demonstrating she has both speed and endurance. Whanganui City College thrower Kiharoa Ranginui-Warner demonstrated versatility, winning the junior boys’ long jump (5.19), high jump (1.55) and javelin (31.84). These are a set of exciting performances, and it is hoped he grasps the opportunity the sport has to offer.

Lulu Dufty (Whanganui High) displayed impressive jumping potential by winning the junior long and triple jumps (4.51 and 9.60 respectively) and was second in the high jump, while Maryanne Pio (Rangitīkei College) won the junior shot and discus (8.84m and 21.60m respectively). James McGregor (Whanganui High) won the 300m, was third in the 200m and second in both the triple jump and 800m. In the latter, he was second to David Sinclair, who took the junior 800m/1500m double.

At the older level, it has been a breakthrough season for Rosa Meyer (Collegiate). Meyer had only just qualified for the Athletics New Zealand Championships, but justified her selection by finishing eighth in a strong field for a 15-second personal best. At the Whanganui Schools, she shaved off a further 11 seconds to win the 3000m in 10:29.23. Meyer also was second in the 800m.

It was good to see Theresa Rennie (Whanganui High) back on the track after a busy programme with other sports. I have always said that track and field prowess is important in all our sports. Rennie won four senior titles (100m in 13.91, 200m in 29.80, 100m hurdles in 18.87 and high jump in 1.40), while the talented Te Atakura Potaka-Osborne Milner-Skudder (Whanganui High) won three intermediate titles (100m, long and triple jumps). They both demonstrated athleticism and, with a little more track time, could produce national-level performances.

It is always pleasing to see athletes who are regulars at Club Night succeed and make progress, confirming their promise. Damian Hodgson (Whanganui High) took the senior 100m/200m double (11.81 and 24.04) and was second in the triple jump, while his sprint teammate Thomas Gowan won the senior long jump and 400m (5.70 and 55.16) and was second to Hodgson over 200m. Pascale Bowie (Collegiate) did well to take the senior girls’ 400m/800m after recovering from Covid, setting personal bests in both. Coby Campbell (Whanganui High) won the intermediate shot (12.75m) and high jump (1.68m) and was second in javelin (33.93), where he was beaten by Oliver Toohey (Collegiate) with 37.28m, which was a personal best backed up by a winning personal best over the 400m (54.04).

Isla Jones (Whanganui High) showed versatility and potential, winning the junior high jump and placing over hurdles, triple jump and the 100m, suggesting she might, like her nationally-ranked sister Maggie, try heptathlon.

It is always pleasing when smaller schools provide champions. Anahera Bennett of Taihape Area School won the intermediate discus (24.30m) and her teammate Maia Cross was second. Ruapehu College’s Fisher Santosha won the 200m, while Cullinane College’s Poppy Priddle won the junior javelin and Zoe and Charlie Anderson won the junior girls’ and intermediate boys’ 3000m titles.

The championships were concluded on Tuesday at Club Night with steeples, long hurdles and hammer-throwing, which will be part of my final wrap-up next week.