The magic of Cooks Gardens makes it one of the best athletic venues in the country and is arguably world class. PHOTO/Rob van Dort
I might be a little biased but Cooks Gardens is the best athletic track in New Zealand and the stadium arguably world class for a city the size of Whanganui.
Cooks Gardens as a track and field venue is not only excellent for training, but is also an outstanding competition venue.
It is excellent for spectators and the ability to run events on either straight is central to the awarding of the New Zealand Combined Events Championships and the hurdle events in the Commonwealth Games trial to Whanganui.
Added to this is the huge tradition and heritage of this great venue. This includes a world record and the highest number of sub four minute miles of any other track in New Zealand.
The venue is further enhanced by the excellent service given by the Whanganui venues and events division of the Whanganui District Council. Unlike many similar venues in New Zealand the encouragement and help given is both refreshing and outstanding.
I was reminded of all this when I called in on a beautiful late afternoon on Monday to the children's club night.
I was greeted by a mass of children all active in a huge variety of activities led by Jodie Brunger and her team which included secondary school athletes such as Sophie Andrews, Genna Maples and Ethan Gillespie. The music, the purposeful activity and the mass of
smiling faces was inspirational.
Earlier in the day the Eastern Cluster Schools were in action. The following day the senior club night was one of the busiest of the season, the normal club night also featuring the second round of the Year 9 and 10 teams competition (I will return to later in the article).
Wednesday saw St George's in action, Thursday Churton School and Friday Whanganui High School host the Super 6 for Year 9 and 10 athletes. Next week is equally busy with three events over and above the two Wanganui Athletics Club nights on Monday and Tuesday. Cooks Gardens is a real asset for our community.
The first half of the season moves towards the business end with New Zealand Secondary Schools just over a fortnight away, the lower North Island Regional Championships a week later in Inglewood on the same weekend as five of our athletes compete for New Zealand Secondary Schools at the Australian All Schools Championship in Adelaide.
Adelaide-bound Tayla Brunger made a welcome return from injury. In her first competitive race since winning the Colgate 400 metres in January she ran an excellent 150 metres in 19.11 seconds. Brunger looked relaxed and this outing will lift her confidence. On Saturday she will compete in the 400 metres in the third Regional League meeting in Masterton on what will hopefully be a major step in her comeback.
The second week of the Year 9 and 10 Schools League gave major boost to the number of participants with 22 facing the starter in the popular 2000 metre road race and 24 pairs competing in the 2x100 metres relay.
The road race was won by the in-form Liam Back in a smart 5:38.4 seconds with Rebecca Baker winning the women's section in a personal best 6:42.9. Baker backed this up with a slick 300 metres (45.44). It was unfortunate that the league format did not give Baker the opportunity to run against the school heat winners Emma Osborne (43.45) and 13-year-old Ana Brabyn (44.21). Ashleigh Alabaster was the leading Year 9 and 10 athlete in the road race recording 7:06.76 for the journey.
In the league Wanganui Collegiate consolidated their lead in the girl's section with Whanganui High School reversing last week's result in the boys leaving all to play for in next week's final round.
Other league event winners were Ethan Cox (WHS) in the boys 60 metres with Genna Maples winning the girls. Chilean exchange student Agustin Valdes (WCS) won the boys 300 metres. The Javelin boys was won by Finn Gray (WHS) with Phoebe Collier WCS) the boys Triple Jump was won by Maysin Katene (WHS) with Yasmin Christenhusz (WCS) winning the girls grade. Cox and Cohen (WHS) took the boys relay with Maples and Osborne (WCS) girls.
In the supporting club programme Jordan Cohen showed genuine pace winning both the 60 metres and 150 metres (7.45 and 17.71 respectively. Cohen has real potential in sprints which will certainly benefit his hockey. His Whanganui High School team mate Travis Bayler took the second heat in 18.16.
Richmond Wells got very close to nationally ranked 400 metre runner Jason Myers in the 300 metres. Wells recorded a personal best 36.74 to Myers' 36.55. This is an opportune confidence boost for Wells who will run in the 300 metre hurdles at the weekend and at New Zealand Schools. Wells is a competent technician over hurdles and can now be confident of running below 40 seconds over the sticks.
At the weekend Athletic Wanganui with many injured athletes back in action will look to overhaul Palmerston North in the final meeting. Only 54 points separate the teams at present.