Athletics: Games gold rush rolls on for Maples

RAINING GOLD: Genna Maples again had an outstanding Colgate Games with three gold medals and a silver over the weekend. PHOTO/FILE

Whanganui sprinter Genna Maples continues to find the North Island Colgate Games a happy hunting ground, with four more medals in Palmerston North over the weekend.

A triple gold-medallist as an 11-year-old last January, Maples backed that up at the Manawatu Community Athletics track during the 38th running of the popular meeting, which saw 4000 aspiring athletes aged 7 to 14 competing.

Maples, now 12, won her year group's long jump gold on Friday with a 4.91m effort into a difficult wind.

On Saturday, she claimed the 100m gold with a 12.85s run in the final.

"Maples faltered at the start but had the class to outrun the field," said Whanganui athletics coach Alec McNab. "In the semifinal she ran an outstanding 12.58s.

"All runs were into a head wind and in all three rounds she ran faster than all 13-year-old and 14-year-old sprinters."

Yesterday, Maples surprised by winning silver in the high jump, which is not one of her specialties, with a 1.45m leap.

As expected, she then went out and claimed another gold in the 200m, smashing her personal best with a 26.02s time which was also quicker than any of the 13- and 14-year-olds in the grades above her.

In other Whanganui success, Tayla Brunger won silver in the 13-year-olds' 400m, setting a personal best of 1m 1.36s in a close final after she was the top qualifier.

Maples may well have been in the running for one of the Nick Willis Scholarships on offer for outstanding performers in the Games. The scholarships provide funds towards sports gear, coaching, travel and other resources.