Athletics: Whanganui athletes hit form

Junior athlete Liam Back carved four minutes off his 800m personal best on Tuesday's club night to enter New Zealand under-18 rankings for the distance at No 11. Photo / Rob van Dort

A chilly and breezy evening did not deter athletes at the weekly Athletics Wanganui club night with a pleasing lift in numbers from the opening night a week earlier.

The numbers were swelled by a group from Whanganui High School and also the continuation of a Masters event with the 800 metres featured.

The school age athletes, notably the large group from Wanganui Collegiate are acutely aware that the New Zealand Secondary Schools Championships lie just 38 days away at the start of December in Hastings.

The performance of the night came from Liam Back in the 800 metres. Back, who has gained selection for the New Zealand Schools Cross Country Team to travel to the ISF World Schools Cross Country in Paris next April, was looking for some leg speed as he prepares for his more immediate goal, the New Zealand Schools junior 1500 metres in December.

Back had targeted his first sub 2 minute two lapper and had arranged a couple of pace makers to take him through the first lap in 58-59 seconds. His pacemakers went out somewhat faster with cricketer Ben Kelt actually recording a personal best over the lap at under 55 seconds. Back was less than two seconds in arrears with the danger of having gone out too fast.

Encouraged by athletes trackside, Back held his rhythm and crossed the finishing line in 1:58.36 taking four seconds off his previous best and in the process broke Oliver O'Leary's Collegiate under-16 record set in the USA in 2016 with a time of 1:58.80.

Back enters the New Zealand under-18 800 metre rankings in 11th position and sets a clear signal that this cross country representative is ready for the shorter track action.

Thirteen-year-old Ana Brabyn outsprinted her older rivals to take the girl's 800 metres with an excellent early season 2:30.67. Brabyn timed her finish to perfection ambushing her more experienced rivals only metres from the finish and she should be strongly encouraged by her effort.

In the same race Rebecca Baker impressed having opted to run 600 metres only as an early season time trial. Baker, who had finished 5th in the North Island Schools under-16 800 metres in April, should also be encouraged by her performance.

Decathlete Richmond Wells had a good evening and has captured the Wanganui Collegiate senior all round champion award.

He started the evening with a win over 110m hurdles on the back straight with a wind-aided hand-timed personal best of 15.1 seconds. Less than an hour later he added the 200 metres to the 100 metres won the week previously stopping the clock in a personal best 23.99 to edge out 400 metre champion Jason Myers.

The high jump saw two personal bests from Oliver O'Leary and Will Stevenson who both cleared 1.80 metres in a jump off. The jump off should have continued but in the gathering darkness and the dropping temperature they opted to share the event. Lexi Maples, recovering from injury, won the girls division with a 1.50 metre effort.

The Masters 800 metres was won by Jason Daws in 2:30:82 who held off the challenge of Neil Mayo. Masters only events will continue as part of the evening club night and next week will feature the popular 2000 metre Road Race. It is hoped these races will grow in popularity.

Sophie Redmayne, who favours the longer 300 metre hurdles, looked good in her first effort over 100 metre hurdles with a technically proficient and encouraging 17.5 seconds. She followed this by a win minutes later in the mixed 80 metre hurdles 13.9.

George Lambert had a good battle with Liam Jones winning in a personal best 9:41.00 (Jones 9:42.46. Rebecca Baker won her 200 metre heat in 28.53 only 20 minutes after her 600 metre effort.

Thrower Sophie Andrews did not let the postponement of the discus (the Heartland team training continued for Saturday's Meads Cup final) and gained good speed work to take second to Baker in the 200 metres. Baker's sister, Charlotte, took her 200 metre heat in 29.05 with other good early season 200 metre efforts from Augustin Yaldes (25.46) Ethan Cox (25.61) Travis Bayler (24.42) and Jonathan Maples (24.59).

Athletic attention goes north to Inglewood on Saturday for the first of the Regional League Meetings.