Medals galore for Southland's athletic talent

“Will Abby [O'Boyle] be another Greer [Alsop], Atipa [Mabonga], or Jordan [Rackham]? I don’t know, [but] at the moment she’s tracking that way.”

Three of the Southland stars, from left, Will Brown, Abby O’Boyle, and Connor Gilliland at the New Zealand Championships in Wellington.

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Lance Smith has seen a fair few athletes pass through his coaching stable over the decades. Although he’s not sure any have managed the sort of performance that Abby O’Boyle has just dished up in recent days.

The Verdon College pupil has picked up four medals - three golds and a bronze - at the New Zealand Athletics Championships held in Wellington.

“To get three golds and a bronze, I can’t think of anyone who has done that before. They probably have but I can’t think of anyone.”

Fifteen-year-old O’Boyle won gold in the under-16 high jump, then knocked out victory in the 800m, before 45 minutes later winning the steeplechase.

“It’s quite incredible really,” Smith said.

“For me, it’s just the anticipation and excitement of what could happen,” Smith added, alluding to O’Boyle’s future in the sport.

“Will Abby be another Greer [Alsop], Atipa [Mabonga], or Jordan [Rackham]? I don’t know, [but] at the moment she’s tracking that way.”

The 800m victory was particularly impressive given she came from a crowded field with 100m or so to go and outsprinted her competitors to claim gold.

As a bonus, O’Boyle also picked up a bronze medal on Saturday morning in the 1500m event at the national championships.

She was part of an impressive trio of 1500m Southland performances all within 20 minutes.

The others were Max McGregor’s bronze in the under-16 boys 1500m, and Sienna Macley’s silver in the uner-18 girls 1500m.

O’Boyle was also part of a unique Southland quinella in the under-16 high jump.

Her gold medal in the girls’ event went with Will Brown’s gold medal in the under-16 boys’ high jump.

Brown is coached by Chris Knight and he delivered an outstanding performance in what was his first shot at the New Zealand Championships.

The James Hargest College athlete produced a personal best to put his name up in bright lights as a national champion.

The list of other notable Southland performances is lengthy in what was another memorable meet for the sport down south.

Central Southland College pupil Ollie Davis won gold in the under-18 long jump impressively winning the event.

His good mate and fellow Central Southland College pupil Connor Gilliland produced a personal best to claim silver in the under-18 triple jump and then backed it up with bronze in the 110m hurdles.

Gore’s Sara Aynsley - in her first national championships event - produced a massive PB to pick up silver in the U16 long jump. She also finished fourth in the triple jump, although because the placegetter was representing French Polynesia Aynsley claimed bronze in the New Zealand Championships.

Southland Girls’ High School’s Carlie Scherp picked up a silver medal in the under-18 shot put and yet another silver in the under-20 shot put.

Kennedy Taylor was another medallist with her silver in the under-20 steeplechase.

Southland product Tori Peeters - who was representing Waikato - as expected won the senior women’s javelin title again.