Ollie's superb 7m leap for his grandfather
Ollie's superb 7m leap for his grandfather
Earlier in the week Ollie Davis’ grandfather passed away. He promised his grandfather that he would jump 7 metres, writing his pledge on the coffin.
Ollie Davis was the standout Southlander at the national secondary school athletics champs last weekend. And it was a special performance for a couple of reasons.
The 16-year-old Central Southland College student won the senior boys long jump with a superb leap of 7.07m which earned him selection to the New Zealand Secondary Schools championship team.
However, the feat was more than a gold medal, it was an emotional moment for the young athlete and his parents who were at the Christchurch track.
Earlier in the week Ollie’s grandfather passed away. He promised his grandfather that he would jump 7 metres, writing his pledge on the coffin.
He had never jumped 7 metres before, and with 5 rounds of the competition gone, he still hadn’t. In fact, with one jump remaining he lay in third, well down on his 7 metre promise.
But on that last jump everything clicked – board was perfect, take off angle about right, flight mechanics near ideal. All that training came together in a jump that added over half a metre to his previous best and leapt him from bronze to gold and a promise kept.
This was his first year in the senior competition, (he won bronze as a junior last year) and has another two years in the grade.
The long jump was not the only Southland gold medal. Cody Lawson took out the junior boys 200m by the narrowest of margins – 22.60 to 22.62.
The Southland Boys’ High School sprint star made the 100m final and in a display of sheer guts, contested the 400 final straight after his 200 win, missing a bronze medal by a few milliseconds.
The 15-year-old had to tough out more than just three races. The 100m had four rounds, 200m required three and two for the 400m. Nine championship-level races in three days is a big ask.
Verdon College provided Southland’s only double medallist in Abby O’Boyle. The 14-year-old is one of Southland’s most promising young distant runners and showed it by placing third in the Year 9 3km road race then two hours later claimed the junior girls 800m bronze in a sprint finish.
St Peters Gore achieved a remarkable double with Max McGregor winning the junior boys steeplechase and Millie McFadzien the junior girls.
The steeplechase is a tough and technical event. Yet both youngsters ran it like experienced old campaigners, showing a tactical understanding that belied their years.
Jorgia Tucker took the bronze behind Millie in the junior girls race.
Siena Mackley opened the Southland medal count with a well-run bronze in the senior girls 3000m.
With a lap to go the Wakatipu High School student looked out of the medals, lying in fourth with a big gap to third. But over the next half lap the gap decreased then a powerful finish took the just-turned 16-year-old into the medals.
Jakob Voorkamp (SBHS) rounded out an impressive Southland medal haul with a bronze in the junior boys 300m hurdles.
For many this was their first exposure to national-level competition and experienced or beginners, the Southlanders did themselves and their schools proud. As well as the medals, Southlanders made a great many finals and achieved over 30 top 10 placings.