School championships attract strongest line up for some time
The best from Southland included some of the best at national level with NZ cross country and track representatives, Southland record breakers, and NZ champions all vying for Southland titles.
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Winning a Southland championship is never supposed to be easy.
The secondary school cross-country championships is no exception, with the tricky, slippery, and hilly Te Anau course making it hard for all.
This year, however, the degree of difficulty went up a few notches thanks to perhaps the strongest line ups seen for some time.
The best from Southland included some of the best at national level with New Zealand cross country and track representatives, Southland record breakers, and NZ champions all vying for Southland championship honours.
Siena Mackley (WHS, NZ schools crosscountry and track rep, Southland record holder, NZ Champs crosscountry and track medallist), Millie McFadzien (St Peters Gore, returning senior winner from last year, NZ crosscountry rep, NZ and NZSS steeplechase winner and medallist, 1500 gold at (SISS) and Abby O’Boyle (Verdon, Jr winner last year, NZ U18 steeplechase champion, NZSS 800 winner, Southland steeple, 1500 and 800m records) featured in the senior girls 4000m).
The senior boys field was just as loaded. James Weber (WHS, national U18 3000m champion, U20 silver medallist at the recent national mountain running champs and first runner to win the 800m, 1500m and 3000m at the South Island SS champs last month) along with summer achievements of Hudson Roy (Menzies) and Lewis Blay (JHC) the main contenders.
Hunter Flowers, (SBHS) had the credentials to make him favourite for the junior boys, including a record setting summer track season and a dominant win in the year 9 race last year.
Year 9 girls 3km was loaded with talent, most of it belonging to Charlotte Hawkes (SGHS).
The slight 13-year-old’s achievements included winning the U16 steeplechase at NZ Champs (Southland’s youngest national champion) and three golds at the South Island Secondary Schools: U14 steeple, 1500 and 800.
And Brock Smith (SBHS) brought excellent summer track form into the year 9 boys.
Was the standard higher than recent? Records in five out of the six races suggests so.
Did the form book get it right? According to results, yes with one exception – Max McGregor absent through injury. Otherwise, it was the cream of Southland high school running talent.
Year 9 girls 3000m had Charlotte Hawkes hit the front from the first step and carry on to finish well over a minute ahead of second placed Lucia Boys of CSC, and taking a big chunk off the Yr 9 record.
Brock Smith did likewise in the Yr 9 boys race, shaving 2 seconds off Hunter Flower’s record set last year. Brock won by half a minute from Cody Scott (CSC).
Zoe Muir (Menzies) won the yr 9 race last year and won again this year, this time in the junior girls.
It was the only close race of the championships, Zoe finishing 2 seconds ahead of Ianthe McMillan Armstrong (Fiord). While the gap was small, Zoe ran an intelligent, patient race and was in control throughout the 3000m.
Hunter Flowers lost a record and gained a record, giving up the Yr 9 to Brock but taking the junior boys record in a dominating display of front running. He finished the 4000m almost half a minute ahead of Cayden Sanginiti (JHC).
The previous record was held by Max McGregor, one of the brightest stars of Southland athletics this past year.
The senior races were a double triumph for WHS and coach Neville Britton. Siena Mackley took the honours in the girls 4000m, talking a substantial 23 seconds of Kennedy Taylor’s record time from 2023. Form suggested Siena, Millie McFadzien and Abby O’Boyle would vie for the medals and so it proved, with Millie second and Abby third with a gap of over 2 minutes to fourth.
This was Siena’s last appearance at the championships, being her final year ay school, but Millie has another year and Abby two more years – their time will come.
James Weber’s SB win was the most dominating of the day, winning by over a minute and half and looking as fresh at the finish as he did at the start. Hudson Roy and Lewis Blay battled for silver and bronze with Hudson coming out on top, reversing their positions from the mountain running champs last month.
Top 3 placings:
Yr 9 girls: Charlotte Hawkes 11.27, Lucia Boys 12.37, Nina Gerritson 12.41
Yr 9 boys: Brock Smith 10.36, Cody Scott 11.09. Mahe Braaksma 11.14
Junior Girls (U16): Zoe Muir 12.28. Ianthe McMillan Armstrong 12.30, Jemina Hoskin 12.51
Junior Boys (U16): Hunter Flowers 13.45, Cayden Sanginiti 14.12, Aiden Barclay 14.40
Senior Girls: Siena Mackley 14.25, Millie McFadzien 14.47, Abby O’Boyle 15.42.
Senior Boys: James Weber 20.20, Hudson Roy 21.51, Lewis Blay 22.27.