Athletics: National selections, Diamond League podium finish, Aussie Champs attendance
“I’m mind blown. To place second in the Diamond League final is just wild."
Southland athletics has a decent history of producing New Zealand representatives and that continues.
James McLeay and Siena Mackley have been selected for the 12-strong team to compete at the World Secondary Schools Cross Country Championships in Kenya in May, 2024.
On top of that another Southland runner, Millie McFadzien, has been named as a non-travelling reserve.
McLeay, a Southland Boys’ High School pupil, has progressed under the tutelage of long-standing successful Southland athletics coach Lance Smith.
Mackley, a Wakatipu High School pupil, is coached by Neville Britton in Queenstown.
We will delve a bit more into MacLeay and Mackley’s stories as they now set their sights on a trip to Kenya to take on the world.
Meanwhile, Southland’s Kennedy Taylor recently attended the Australia Cross Country Championships where she finished 25th in the under-20 6km event with a time of 23min 41sec.
And there is more, in terms of positive Southland athletics news.
Southland product Tori Peeters has thrown herself onto the podium at the Diamond League event in Eugene, Oregon.
Peeters, a six-time New Zealand champion, secured second place at the event with a throw of 61.30m
Her New Zealand record is 63.26m which Peeters set in Japan in May.
“I’m mind blown. To place second in the Diamond League final is just wild,” Peeters said.
Reigning world champion Haruka Kitaguchi won the Diamond League event over the weekend with a throw of 63.78m.
Australia’s Mackenzie Little of Australia - the world championships bronze medallist, picked - with a throw of 61.24m.
While now based in Cambridge, Waikato Peeters is still well supported by her home province of Southland which includes support from the likes of SBS Bank and Mataura Licensing Trust.