Presence felt on national stage

Wanganui athletes can look back on the 2012/2013 season with pride. As a small club, Wanganui played a significant part in the sport, especially at junior level, and it is clear Wanganui punches well above its weight.

Athletics New Zealand's registered year is from April and we are now in the 2013-2014 season.

This does complicate things like ranking tables, as they are taken over the calendar year to fall in with the northern hemisphere.

As I did at the same time last year, I will highlight the successes of Wanganui athletes over the past registration year.

I have added Lucy van Dalen to the list because although now based in Melbourne, and having spent four years in the US, she chose to run at New Zealand Championships for MWA and is registered with her old club.

2012

2 New Zealand Secondary Schools Cross Country team titles

WCS 3 to score senior boys - WCS 6 to score year 9 girls

1 New Zealand Secondary Schools silver team medal

WCS 3 to score year 9 girls

2 New Zealand Schools Cross Country team selection - Antoine Bonnet, Jamie Wells

New Zealand team to Oceania Championships - William Cowper

3 Oceania medals

William Cowper - bronze junior long jump, triple jump and senior 4x400m

Olympic team selection - Lucy van Dalen - 1500m semifinal

New Zealand junior team to World Junior Championships - Brad Mathas

Australian Schools cross country silver medal - Antoine Bonnet

New Zealand cross country silver medal - Antoine Bonnet (U20)

New Zealand road race silver medal - Antoine Bonnet (U20)

12 medals at the New Zealand Secondary Schools

5 gold medals:

Antoine Bonnet road race, WCS 4x100 senior boys, 3 to score senior boys road race team, 6 to score

Year 9 road race team, 3 to score Year 9 road race team

3 silver medals:

Antoine Bonnet 2000m steeplechase, Jessica Brougham junior girls shot, William Smart 200m senior

4 bronze medals

Jessica Brougham junior girls discus, WCS 4x400 senior boys, Georgia Black Senior road race, WCS 3 to score road race team

2 New Zealand schools track and field team - William Smart, Antoine Bonnet

3 New Zealand schools road race team - Georgia Black, Antoine Bonnet and Geordie Beamish

2013

Wanganui hosted the Cooks Gardens Classic. A very successful meeting with the second highest prize pool of any track and field meeting this season

Wanganui hosted the New Zealand Masters Games athletics events

4 gold medals at the New Zealand Championships:

Lucy van Dalen 1500m senior women, Brad Mathas 800m Senior Men, William Smart 200m M U20, Geordie Beamish 2000m steeplechase M U18

6 silver medals at the New Zealand Championships:

Geordie Beamish 3000m M U18, William Smart 400m M U20. Charlie McCartin 300m hurdles M U18

Members of 4x100 relay M U20, 4x100m M U20, 4x400m senior men

2 bronze medals:

Briar Lourie member of 4x400 senior women's team, Sarah McDonald W U20 high jump

3 members of the New Zealand senior team to the Oceania Area Championships - William Smart, William Cowper, Tom Symes

2 members of the New Zealand youth team to the Oceania Area Championships - Jessica Brougham, Caleb Bensemann

3 North Island schools titles - Geordie Beamish senior 3000m, William Smart senior 100m. Sarah McDonald senior high jump

3 North Island schools second places:

Geordie Beamish senior 1500m, Caleb Bensemann senior triple jump, Jessica Pease junior high jump

2 North Island third places:

Sam Donald open boys hammer, Charlie McCartin senior 110m hurdles,

The new registration year has started and I look forward to reporting on hopefully another successful athletic year for Wanganui athletes.

I will be back in a fortnight with a preview of major events over the winter period.