Decades-old Southland records broken in Nelson
Southland athletics records dating back to the 1980s were broken at the South Island Secondary School Championships in Nelson.
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Records are made to be broken. Sometimes it takes a while, then along comes a James and a Hunter to erase marks set back in the 1980’s.
The mid-distance track events were good for Southland athletes with James Weber (Wakatipu HS) and Hunter Flowers (SBHS) ending their South Island Secondary School Championships last weekend in Nelson with multiple records to go with multiple gold medals.
James set a precedent by winning all three senior mid-distance track races, the 800m, 1500m and 3000m with the 800 and 1500 breaking the Southland records; the M16-17 800 set by Eddie Crowe back in 1989 and the M16-17-18 1500 mark from two year ago set by world U20 1500m finalist, James McLeay.
Taking all three senior mid-distance title has never been done before.
It should be noted that Eddie Crowe was a two-time world junior championship representative and still holds the Southland senior 1500m record and until recently the M19-20 record until James McLeay went faster at the world champs in Peru.
Wakatipu High added to its medal collection with Finn Bell taking bronze in the U16 800m.
Hunter Flowers also took two records, the SISS U14 800 and 1500. His 4:17.13 1500 eclipsed Eddie Crowe’s mark from 1987 while the 2:02.95 800 broke a record going way back to 1981. The U14 800m time would have won the U15 and U16 grades with only the first three in the senior race posting faster times.
Brock Smith (also SBHS) made it a SBHS 1500m double by placing second.
A few minutes after his 1500m win Hunter managed to find enough strength to place second in the 400m, albeit a long way from his PB but you can’t expect a fast 400 immediately after a record-breaking 1500.
Charlotte Hawkes (SGHS) was equally dominant in the girl’s distance races, winning her steeplechase, 800 and 1500m, with the 800 a significant PB. While the 800 and 1500 was U14 against runners of similar age, the steeplechase was an open grade with all ages.
To show she is not just a runner, the slight 13-year-old placed second in the discus.
Millie McFadzien (St Peters Gore) finished her track season on a high with a win in the senior girls 1500 and second in the 3000m, but unfortunately a cancelled flight caused her to miss the steeplechase.
Highlights were not all track related with notable Southland performances in the field events as well. Will Brown (JHC) won the U16 high jump equalling his 1.83 PB and finished second in the long jump. Ashlee Clay (JHC) cleared a PB 1.50 to take second in the U14 high jump to go with her long jump third.
Bhodi Trevor-Smith Fiordland College) won the senior discus and was third in the shot put. Bea Christie (JHC) and Joe Muir (Menzie) both had a busy weekend, Bea winning her grade PV, second in shot put and third in hammer, while Zoe was third in her U15 400m and second in javelin as well as achieving high placings in 800 and discus.
Ollie Davis (CSC) is the country’s best U20 long jumper, but things didn’t go his way at Nelson with the LJ and 200 on at the same time plus cancelled flight that forced a long, tiring drive. Both performances were way below his best, but he says coping with adversities has only made him mentally stronger for the competition in California this and next week.
Notable absences and probable medal winners were Abby O’Boyle, competing at the Australian champs in Perth, Connor Gilliland and Siena Mackley in America with the NZ secondary school team (along with Ollie Davis), and Max McGregor who finished a brilliant second in the Australian champs U17 800m.
Fantastic performances and results... Well done to the athletes and their coaches :)