Gold medallist Tom Walsh in action in the men's shot put final at the World Athletics Indoor Championships. Photo / Photosport
Forty-seven Whanganui athletes will head north on Friday to the North Island Secondary Schools Athletic Championships to be held at Papakura, Auckland, at the weekend.
Whanganui, although the second smallest region of the 11 both in population and the number of secondary schools, has, over the years, featured prominently at the annual championships.
Not unexpectedly, Whanganui High School and Whanganui Collegiate School, following their success, have the largest number of athletes in the team, joining athletes from Cullinane College, Whanganui Girls’ College, Rangitīkei College and Whanganui City College.
The North Island Schools Championships always produces some new faces as the teams are selected following regional championships which often feature athletes who are not part of the regular track and field circuit. The North Island Schools Championships have launched many athletic careers and also featured athletes such as Jonah Lomu who later made history as a rugby player.
Competition is strong in many events and, although tough for first-timers, many at the back of fields on debut have returned in later years to the podium and to New Zealand teams. The Whanganui team has many who were at the back at their first championships and have risen up the rankings in later years.
For many in the team, this will be their second trip north this month as the Athletics New Zealand Championships were held at the Trusts Stadium in Henderson in early March. Included in the Whanganui team are athletes who stepped on to the podium at those championships or appeared in New Zealand finals. The North Island Schools gives another opportunity to further build their athletics experience.
Bruce McGregor (WHS) won gold in the under-18 300m hurdles and, as an intermediate, has the opportunity to feature strongly in Papakura. His brother James (WHS), who was the third New Zealander across the line in the NZ Championships under-18 grade, will start in the seniors this weekend.
Alrese Maree (WGC) also took a New Zealand bronze as the third New Zealander in the under-16 grade 300m hurdles but, as an intermediate this weekend, will run against older athletes.
Whanganui has a strong hurdle reputation. Olive Coombs (WHS) has made solid progress in all events including hurdles and could make further progress at the weekend, as could New Zealand senior girls 300m hurdler Grace Fannin (WGC), providing last week’s ankle injury clears up.
Juliet McKinlay (WCS) did not start in last weekend’s combined events in Auckland following illness and is saving herself for the Australian Championships in Sydney after Easter. She has entered javelin, triple jump, shot and 100m hurdles this weekend and has the ability to feature in Auckland.
Hannah Byam (WCS) took silver in the under-18 2000m steeplechase at the New Zealand Championships and hopes to once again step onto the podium in Papakura.
Auguz Thongskul (WHS), Whanganui’s other New Zealand individual medal winner (silver under-18 long jump), travels north again and is a strong podium hope.
The strong intermediate male sprinters, including Ethan Wells, Reilley Thomas, Tyler O’Brien, Bruce McGregor, Alex Payne, Charlie McBride (WHS), Kopere Maihi-Walker (WCC), Kosei Furasto (Cullinane) and Max Candish (WCS), should combine well in the relays.
New Zealand shot put champion Tom Walsh continued his remarkable and long career with the gold medal at the World Indoor Championships in Kujawy Pomorze, Poland, last weekend.
Walsh, 34, won his first New Zealand black singlet back in 2009 when he competed in the World Youth Championships. I first met him in Canada on his way to his first World Junior Championships, where he finished sixth. The event was won by the younger Jacko Gill. Gill and Walsh have been close rivals ever since.
Walsh’s gold medal in Poland was his fourth indoor gold (2016, 2018, 2025 and 2026) to go alongside his silver from 2024 and bronze medals from 2014 and 2022.
In the 2022 event, only 3cm separated the top three and it was where Walsh set his best performance of 22.90m, the current New Zealand record. Walsh has set 26 New Zealand records during his career and has also won two Commonwealth golds and a silver, a World Outdoor gold and bronze and an Olympic bronze in an illustrious career marked by its longevity.
Walsh was not the only New Zealand medal winner at the championships, which attracted 632 athletes from 111 countries. Imogen Ayris took bronze in the pole vault with a 4.70m vault in the highest-quality pole vault competition since the 2014 Paris Olympics. Eliza McCartney finished sixth, sharing the 4.70m vault. New Zealand finished 12th equal in the medal table, continuing the recent strong record in world events.