Much to look forward to for Kelsey Foreman

Kelsey Foreman in action recently running for her school. Photo courtesy of Wellington East Girls' College.

With races in Colombia and in Melbourne, Kelsey Forman’s got much to look forward to over the next two months, representing New Zealand in the 2000m steeplechase at the IAAF World Youth Championships from 15-19 July and then running in the Australian Cross Country Championships.

At the end of this week she joins four other New Zealand-based athletes, including her Wellington East Girls’ College teammate and next door neighbour Phoebe Edwards, on the plane for Brisbane.

There the New Zealand U18 track and field team increases to six, joined by Gold Coast-based runner Olivia Burdon, and competes in a local track and field meet. From there the contingent flies out for two weeks training and acclimatising in San Francisco en route to the World Youth Championships in Cali, Colombia.

Last weekend, Year 13 student Kelsey finished runner-up in the Senior race at the New Zealand Secondary Schools Cross Country Championships in Dunedin, qualifying for the New Zealand team for the Australian Cross Country championships at the end of August.

She was pleased to finish second in Dunedin over the weekend, an improvement on last year. “I finished seventh last year and was aiming for to finish in the top three, so I’m really pleased to have qualified for Melbourne.”

She also ran the final 400m or so of the 4,000m race in her socks, after kicking her heel midway through the course and subsequently shedding her shoes.

Her time clip went the same way as her shoes, but she was clocked in a time of 15.22, behind winner Bella Richards of Auckland’s St Kentigern College in 15.15 and ahead of third placed getter Grace Wood, also of St Kent’s, who finished in 15.38.

Kelsey knew the two girls she finished in between. “I’ve raced against Bella and Grace a few times before, so I knew they were going to be tough to beat.”

Tactically, she said her plan was to stay with the front bunch of runners, to “see how long I could hold on for.” This move saw her finish strongly - despite the loss of her shoes.

The World Youth Championships in Colombia will be somewhat of a step into the unknown. “I don’t know about most of the other competitors, many are still qualifying as it’s their summer now, whereas we had to qualify in our athletics season.”

She qualified for the World Championships by setting a New Zealand U17 record in the 2,000m steeplechase at the New Zealand Track and Field Championships on her home track in Wellington in March. Kelsey’s time of 6.52.72 bettered by over two seconds the old mark held by Sarah McSweeney and was comfortably inside the IAAF World Youth Championship qualification standard of 7:00.00.

Kelsey said her running background started at primary school. “I just discovered I could run fast at school competing in primary school and intermediate events.” She won the North Island Colgate Games 80m hurdles, which she has adapted well leaping over the steeplechase barriers.

Kelsey is a member of the local Wellington Harriers and is coached by Alastair Leslie.

She says she won’t be neglecting her NCEA Level 3 work whilst overseas. “I’ll be taking my schoolwork with me overseas; we’ll have lots of downtime so I can do it then.”

As well as Kelsey, two other Wellington East Girls’ College students ran well in Dunedin. Tessa Hunt finished third in the Junior Girls race and Kirstie Rae finished third in the Year 9 Girls Race. The school’s running programme is being organised by 1996 Olympic Games 5,000m finalist Anne Hare and they hope to keep improving.  With role models like Kelsey Forman and Phoebe Edwards to look to, Wellington East’s younger athletes don’t have far to look for inspiration.

The New Zealand team competing in Colombia is:

 Ryan Ballantyne (St Paul’s Collegiate, Hamilton) - Shot Put           

 Olivia Burdon (Gold Coast-based) - 1500m and 3000m                     

 Phoebe Edwards (Wellington East Girls’ College) - High Jump and Heptathlon    

 Kelsey Forman (Wellington East Girls’ College) - 2000m steeplechase                     

 Georgia Hulls (Havelock North High School) - 100m and 200m    

 Madison Wesche (Lynfield College, Auckland) - Shot Put

 

 

 

 

 

 

 






 Ryan Ballantyne 

 Hamilton 

 Shot Put 

 Olivia Burdon

 Gold Coast

 1500m & 3000m

 Phoebe Edwards

 Wellington

 High Jump, Heptathlon

 Kelsey Forman

 Wellington

 2000m steeplechase

 Georgia Hulls

 Hastings

 100m & 200m

 Madison Wesche

 Auckland

 Shot Put

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