Wanganui team perform admirably

HIGH FLIER:Max Attwell scored valuable points for Wanganui in Palmerston North on Saturday.

THE Wanganui athletic team came close to beating favourites and host club Palmerston North at Saturday's regional league meeting in Palmerston.

The Manawatu team ended with 169 points, 16 ahead of Wanganui who, in turn, were a further 35 points ahead of third-placed Wairarapa in the 14-strong club competition.

In excellent conditions there were a whole raft of outstanding performances which, four weeks out from the NZ Secondary Schools Championships, come at the right time.

The in-form Geordie Beamish, who had sat a three-hour exam in the morning, drove over to Palmerston North in time for the 1500m which he won in 3m 57.05s (he was frustrated by a slow second lap).

An hour later he won the 800m in 1m 59.7s. Again, a slow first lap put paid to a faster time and it is to Beamish's credit that he ran a 58-second final lap to record an outstanding schoolboy double, breaking four minutes and two minutes for the respective 1500m and 800m. It was a useful speed workout for his 3000m at the championships.

Significantly, Christian Conder - who finished third in 4m 04.87s - set a personal best by four seconds and this year 12 athlete clearly has an exciting future. He, too, ran a good 800m later in the programme.

Team-mate Alice Bird also set a four-second personal best over 1500m (4m 53.97s), coming home third, and should be delighted with the extra speed that will prove useful in her specialist steeplechase events.

Bird did not run at this week's club night but instead completed an impressive set of 200m repetitions with three hurdles in each repetition in preparation for her NZ schools steeplechase.

Max Attwell scored valuable points for the club by winning the high jump with 1.88m, and the long jump with 6.23m, snatching the win with his last jump. He also won the 300m hurdles and 110m hurdles, the latter in a personal best time.

Attwell also ran in both the 4 x 100m and 4 x 400m in teams that finished second to strong Manawatu combinations.

Jamie Gillespie was disappointed that he was the only runner in the 2000m steeplechase. He overcame this disappointment with a strong performance, taking more than 10 seconds off his previous best. His first 1000m was - understandably without opposition - a little fast, which probably cost him an even better time.

There is strong competition for places in the Wanganui Collegiate 4 x 400m team. With Attwell and Josh Ledger certain of places, other runners were keen to stake their claim.

Tim McKenzie ran a season's best in 53.82s, Tate Harte also ran a best in 54.49s, Dan McLeod ran a fast 800 metres and Harry Symes, who opted for shorter races, ran fast times over 100m (11.59s) and 200m (a personal best of 23.40s).

It was good to welcome Jess Brougham back to Wanganui and to the sport. She should be pleased with her final put of 12.25m in the shot to take second. Being able to work with Richard Drabczynski now that she is home from Cambridge could help find another metre to produce a competitive performance at the secondary schools championships.

Tuesday's club night saw strengthening wind and chilly conditions. Myah Jex-Blake recorded an excellent 300m and Roimata Hipango was close to her best in the triple jump with a 10.86m effort, while Max Attwell continued demonstrating his versatility winning the 300m in a personal best of 35.96s and the discus in 32.52m.

School-age athletes have three more club nights and the final regional league meeting in Wellington on Saturday, November 22, to hone their skills.