23 March 2009 - Manawatu Secondary Schools Athletics 21 March 2009 - Report by Alan Adamson
Record breaking performances by Scott Burch,Olivia Burne, Adam Millar, Andy Kruy, Kate Spencer and Stephanie Dickens highlighted the Manawatu Secondary Schools Championships.
Burch (Awatapu) took out the Senior Boys sprint treble winning the 100 in 11.34,the 200 in 22.62 but it was his run in the 400 that set the meeting alight when he scorched around the track in 48.31 lowering the mark set by Sam Higgie in 1999.
Olivia Burne(PNGHS) was disappointed that she missed bettering the Senior Girls 800 record in recording 2m 14.58 sec just .18 slower than Jenny Overall's time set in 1981. She made amends for this later in the day when she came out in the 1500m and slashed almost 5 seconds off Overall's record in this event running a stadium best 4m 31.70. The decision to combine her race with the Intermediate Boys event may have played into her hands and certainly livened up the crowd as they got behind her in her battle to beat the boys. There may be further good news in store for Olivia as officials have noted that back in 1981 when Overall's times were recorded they would have been hand timed. If the conversion factor between hand and electronic is taken into account her performance in the 800 is better than the record and a recommendation is to go forward that her time event be accepted as an electronic timed record for this event.
Adam Miller (PNBHS) dominated the senior boys throwing events claiming a treble winning the Shot 14.38m, Discus 43.18m and Hammer with 43.06m. The Shot and Hammer being meeting records. These record breaking performances saw Miller awarded the Athlete of the Meet Award.
Stephanie Dickens (Feilding High) lowered her own 400 metre record when she clocked 60.69 in the Junior Girls events. Kate Spencer's(PNGHS) winning time of 10m 42.49 in the Intermediate Girls 3000 metres bettered the previous best time in this event by over 30 seconds A recently added event for this grade her time will go forward as a record. In addition to the Manawatu Secondary Schools records a number of Stadium age records were established. Scott Burch's 400 was a 17 and 18 year record Oiivia Burne 1500 a stadium all time best, Steph Dickens 400 a 13 year old best. Kate Spencers 3000 the best for a 14 15 16 year old Other stadium records went to Amy Cokayne 23.63 metres in the Javelin being a 12 year old best Ariana Blackwood 28.85 in the Javelin being a 14 year best.
Andy Kruy(Freyberg) and John Kendall (PNBHS) shared the honours in the Senior Boys Jumps. Kruy taking the Long Jump with a record leap of 6.60 with Kendall second with 6.34. In the Triple Jump the result was reversed with Kendall taking the title with a 13.21 compared to Kruy's 13.06m.
The Senior Boys 800 saw Boys High's James Dunlop grab the title on the line from Josh Curry with the photo finish camera needed to split them Cameron McNaught narrowly held off Daniel Pinkney for third. These two were to later take out the first and second placing in the 1500m Freyberg's Strahan Moynihan taking out the 3000.
In the Senior Girls Events it was Freyberg's Kate Philpott who produced the big surprise taking out the 100 metre race. Better known as a very good long and triple jumper Philpott upset the more favoured Mel Weitenberg(Nga Tawa) to take the title. Philpott completed a very good day taking the triple jump title but had to bow Weitenberg in the long jump where only 4 cm seperated the two girls. Weitenberg added the 100 metres hurdles title narrowly beating another busy athlete in Freyberg's Paige Lowe. who out the 200 metre, 400 metre 300 hurdle and High Jump titles.
As predicted Freyberg proved to have a monoply on the Intermediate girls titles with Courtney Potaka leading the way taking the 100 200 and 400 sprint treble. Stacey Gunn also trebled adding the 80 metre hurdles to her long and triple jump titles and not to be outdone Ariana Blackwood trebled the 800 metre, discus and Javelin. Not to be outdone it was Palmerston North Boys High who grabbed most of the Junior Boys titles although no single athlete took more than one title Host School St Peter's who did a superb job organising this years championships were delighted to pick up two titles. Kieran Clark taking the Intermediate Boys title 800 title and Jorden Shepherd the Junior Boys 200
This year was the second time races for Athletes with Disabilities have been included in the programme and again provided one of the meeting's highlights. The extra enthusiasm that these athletes bring to their races and the crowd support they generate makes for something special. This year it was a very jubilant Troy McEwan from Awatapu who crossed the line with arms raised in victory salute who took out the 100 m title.