Petty wins gold medal at World University Games

GOLDEN GIRL: Angela Petty (nee Smit), gold medallist, provided a Wanganui connection to the World University Games.PHOTO/FILE A-HBT15034339

Athletics New Zealand's largest team (30 athletes) to the World University Games in Gwangju, South Korea, was rewarded by becoming our most successful team at this biennial event with their gold, two silvers and a bronze equalling the same medal haul in Belgrade in 2009, but better overall with 10th placings on the medals and points tables.

The Games attracted 13,000 competitors across all sports from 141 countries and as I indicated in a previous article they provide an outstanding experience for competitors with the depth of competition and the nature of the multi-sporting environment.

There was a Wanganui connection with the team. The gold medal came from Angela Petty (nee Smit) in the 800m. Petty attended a Young Olympian Camp in the city and returned as a mentor two years ago when she returned to win the women's mile at the Cooks Classic.

Petty not only scored gold but went under two minutes for the first time with a gutsy performance, coming from behind over the final 25 metres to pass Jamaican Kadine Simoya.

Simoya had set a solid pace from the start, scorching through the first lap in 56.41. Petty recorded 1:59.06, just 0.41s outside Toni Hodgkinson's New Zealand national record set at the 1996 Atlanta Olympic Games.

Eliza McCartney captured a silver medal in the pole vault. McCartney was our feature athlete at the Cooks Classic in 2013 and the young Aucklander is establishing an impressive athletics CV, having taken bronze at last year's World Junior Championships.

Waikato middle-distance runner Camille Buscomb took silver on a wet night in the 5000 metres with the conditions ruling out the world championship qualifier she was after.

The other medal went to Julia Radcliffe in the hammer, adding to her Commonwealth Games medal last year in Glasgow. She also competed in unfavourable conditions and did not quite achieve a world championship qualifying mark.

There were many other outstanding performances, highlighting the value of the competition.

Cameron French finished fifth in the 400m hurdles with a good sub-50 second performance (49.92).

His father, Michael, won Wanganui Collegiate's first individual gold back in 1977 over the same event at his home track in Hamilton.

Rosa Flanagan, another former Young Olympian, further highlighted her exciting future as a steeplechaser by finishing fifth. Flanagan is still only 20 and has displayed versatility in distance events and a competitive style that could take her far in the sport. Like Petty, she is coached by Maria Hassan in Christchurch.

Former Wanganui 800m runner Brad Mathas is also coached by Hassan. Mathas made the semifinals but finished fourth with a time of 1:48.77, only marginally missing a top two and automatic qualifying berth.

As in all major championships, the three race semifinals lead to demanding qualifying with only two from each progressing to be joined by the next two fastest. This experience will strengthen this rising middle-distance runner.

Ben Langton-Burnell, from Palmerston North, who is a regular competitor at Cooks Gardens, finished 10th in the javelin but had the consolation of throwing a personal best of 75.54 in qualifying for the final.

Pole vaulter Nick Southgate's run of bad luck continued, with injury in the warm-up for the final preventing him from competing, having comfortably qualified in sixth position with a 5.20 metre vault.

Nikki Hamblin could have added to the medal haul but withdrew through injury, having qualified with ease.

The 4 x 100m women's relay team justified their inclusion by surprisingly finishing fourth in the final. They may have been helped on their way by other teams' disqualifications and the inevitable baton-change mix-ups, but the result gave four athletes valuable international experience. Relays provide that wonderful team element within the sport.

Hopefully a group of athletes starting at university include this major championships in their goals. Bring on the next Universiade in 2017.