Schools season gets into full swing

ON SONG: Wanganui steeplechaser Alice Bird (light blue) had a solid workout 10 days out from her NZ Championships challenge.PHOTO/ROB VAN DORT 240215WCRVDALICE-BIRD

THE end of February always sees the start of the schools athletic championship season and bookings for Cooks Gardens over the next 10 days highlight once again what a wonderful venue we have in the city.

On Tuesday Cullinane College held their championships, today Wanganui High School have the first day of their championships, at the weekend Wanganui Collegiate have the annual House Athletics match, next week Turakina Maori Girls, Wanganui City College and Wanganui High School have the second day of competition. The athletes who do well at these competitions will compete for their school at the Wanganui Secondary Schools to be held at Cooks Gardens on March 11.

Cullinane made a good start to the school season. It was pleasing to see an effort to present the meeting well, which included sector indicator numbers and lane boxes. It is important that school championships are well-presented as this is the showcase of the sport at school.

Such presentation lifts the event and athletes invariably respond. I hope other schools continue this trend.

The Collegiate event at the weekend is a little different to the other championships as it is a team match in which athletes can compete in only two individual events, although leading performers will almost certainly add two relays to their individual events. The result is a three-hour all action programme involving the majority of students. The stands are always full as it is part of a major parent weekend. Members of the public are welcome as spectators to what should be an excellent evening of track and field athletics. It is hoped the run of good weather continues through the school season.

-Club night on Tuesday was again conducted in near perfect conditions with mild temperature and a gentle tail wind in the home straight. Harry Symes, who has not run since the Porritt Classic at the start of the month, took full advantage of this with a personal best 100m in 11.40 that bodes well for the 200m and 400m races that lie ahead at North Island and New Zealand level.

Myah Jex-Blake, who is working on her leg speed for hurdles events, had another close battle with Lexi Maples in the 100m and in the second leg of the 2x100m.

On this occasion Jex-Blake came out on top (13.44 and 13.51 respectively) while Lexi's younger sister Genna continued to dominate not only her division but against older opposition.

It was pleasing to see two club initiatives bear fruit. In response to a request from Wanganui High School's teacher in charge, Phillip Chiet, brother of former New Zealand representative Sophie Chiet, an introductory offer was made to students to take part in club night and already there has been an increase in participation.

The other initiative of encouraging winter codes to participate as part of summer season testing has been ongoing.

At last a group of Wanganui Collegiate School potential 1st XV players ran in the 2000m road race and will run again in the final two opportunities later next month in an effort to better their performance and at the same time their aerobic endurance in preparation for the season. Track and field provides a series of such tests.

Club nights can serve many purposes. New Zealand Schools cross-country representative Alice Bird provided a good example of this. Bird has found it difficult to find competition in her steeplechase event locally and has also struggled technically over hurdles. To help, a 1000m steeplechase (Bird's race distance is 2000m) was organised with boys in the field. The competition and pace gave a realistic workout. Bird responded well, finishing second to NZ School's boys finalist Jamie Gillespie and clear of the 11 other competitors to finish in an excellent 3 minutes 27.98 second effort. Most importantly, however, was a massive technical improvement over the barriers which she can take with her to the NZ Championships in 10 days.

She will be joined by 14 Wanganui athletes at the championships in Wellington. The athletes include former Collegiate students Geordie Beamish (now in Hawke's Bay), Max Attwell (Christchurch) and Josh Ledger (Wellington). I will feature the championships next week.