Fifteen St Paul’s Collegiate School athletes competed at the North Island Secondary School’s Track and Field Championships, as part of the Waikato Bay of Plenty team, during the last weekend of March.
Only the best-of-the-best in secondary school athletics make it to this level. Competitors have to go through the paces at the Central Zone Athletics tournament and regional championships to even make the cut for this competition.
St Paul’s 15 athletes came away with three individual North Island titles, three second place finishes and two third placings. Three athletes were also members of relay teams that achieved top three finishes.
Athletics Coach Martin Holmes said that Jess Hood’s performance over the weekend was a highlight.
"Jess had a busy weekend but it was worth it. She finished her season on a high note with a commanding win in the intermediate girls 800m where she led from start to finish," Mr Holmes said.
"She backed this up by finishing second in the 200m and then she also ran a fantastic leg in the open girls 4 x 400m relay to help her team to first place."
Ryan Ballantyne also notched up another victory, in his favoured event: the shot put.
Mr Holmes said Ballantyne’s win in the shot put confirmed his dominance in this event this season. The 16-year-old also secured national titles at secondary school and club national levels and qualified distances for the World Youth Championships.
Ryan also placed fourth in the discus at the North Island event, an impressive placing considering he stepped out of the event early, with only two trows, in order to compete in the shot put event.
Sarah Parker was in record breaking form, winning the intermediate girls javelin on her final throw and adding over 1.5m to the school record that she had broken earlier in the year.
Lane Tim’s also broke a record at the competition with a 1.75m high jump, which was the tenth school record breaker for 2015.
OTHER TOP EIGHT PERFORMANCES
- Maddy Tims – 2nd 300m hurdles
- Sal M’Boge – 3rd senior boys 4 x 100m
- Albert Talakai – 3rd junior boys 4 x 100m
- Emanae Ferguson – 3rd 300m hurdles
- Jackson Morgan – 3rds senior boys shot put
- James Wilkins – 5th open boys 300m hurdles
- Seton Mason – 6th open boys 300m hurdles
- Albert Talakai – 6th junior boys 100m
- Ryan Wilkins – 7th intermediate boys 400m
- Jack Gordon – 8th intermediate boys 100m hurdles
- Jack Davies – 8th senior boys 3000m
- Maddy Tims – 8th 80m hurdles
