An injury to Whanganui Schools intermediate 100m winner Kopere Maihi–Walker (Whanganui City College), a week out from the championships, gave Kosei Furusato (Cullinane), fourth in the Whanganui championships, the opportunity.
Furusato ran an outstanding opening leg. The final change, only just in zone, gave a moment of anxiety but the team of Furusato, Ethan Wells, Reiley Thomas and Tyler O’Brien (WHS) won in an excellent 44.17s. A few minutes later, the senior boys team of Hayden Stead, Lucas Howard, Auguz Thongskul (WHS) and Presley Bretherton (WCS) finished third in 44.11s.
Hannah Byam (WCS), after a series of silver medals in major competitions, including the under-18 grade at the New Zealand Championships three weeks ago, finally climbed to the top step of the podium on Sunday after the senior girls 2000m steeplechase.
Byam, technically sound, was content to sit on Amy Thomson’s (Auckland) shoulder until the final water jump, which Byam cleared perfectly and struck for home to win by 3s.
Byam was not Whanganui’s only steeple success with Toby Gill (WCS) finishing third in the intermediate grade with a 12s personal best.
Whanganui’s other title came from James McGregor (WHS) in the senior boys 300m hurdles. The reliable and hard-working McGregor set a personal best 40.16s to win by more than 2s. His younger brother Bruce finished second in the 100m and 300m hurdles (14.70s and 40.40s respectively), both personal bests.
Coach Richard Drabczynski’s throwers had a good championships.
Juliet McKinlay (WCS) was second in the shot with a 13.47m performance, almost a metre better than her previous best. McKinlay was second in the senior girls javelin after an anxious overnight wait.
Her first three throws on Saturday were given as fouls. McKinlay asked the last to be marked and measured and was allowed to continue under protest. Video and photographs were viewed of her third throw which was later ruled as valid. Her fifth-round throw of 36.97m secured second.
Isaac Ashworth (WCS) has made steady progress through the season. He was fourth in the junior boys javelin at New Zealand Schools in December with a personal best of 44.85m. He was sixth on under-18 debut at the New Zealand Championships with another personal best.
On Sunday he finished in second place with a 51.29m throw in the intermediate boys grade, while Bailee Jones made a 7.53m improvement to take third place and with it a Whanganui Collegiate School record (42.51m).
Auguz Thongskul (WHS), who has battled all season with an injury sustained in late November, gained another second placing following his second in the under-18 grade at the New Zealand Championships earlier in March.
He backed up his long jump (6.37m) by also running in the 100m final.
His Whanganui High School teammate Lulu Dufty was second in the senior girls long jump (5.19m), only 2cm below her best, and followed this the next day with third in the triple jump (10.64m).
Injury meant she only took two of the six possible triple jumps. The other jumps podium finish came from Mareca Kedrewaca (Whanganui Girls’ College) in the intermediate girls triple jump with a personal best 10.69m.
Hayden Stead (WHS) ran his first sub-11s 100m (10.95s) to finish second to an in-form Dominic Dube (Waikato).
Footballer Stead backed this up with a personal best 200m in 22.18s to finish third. That raw speed must be a genuine asset to his football team.
Next week I will look further into Whanganui’s excellent performances over the championships.
