​“I was always that skinny kid who could run,” Murdoch McIntyre responds when asked where he discovered his passion for running.
 
The Year 12 student at Westlake Boys’ High School is the owner of four gold medals at the National Secondary Schools Championships and recently won a silver medal with the six-man Westlake team at the ISF World Cross Country Championships in Paris. The French success was the best part of a year in the making.
 
“We qualified in June by winning the National Secondary Schools title. We had to do a decent amount of fundraising to get to France as it cost us six grand each to go, but the school was hugely supportive and we raised the money with little stress,” McIntyre reveals.
 
In fact the most stressful decision in the buildup was who would replace Joseph Clark, a New Zealand cross country representative, who had left school.
 
“Losing Joe was a big blow because he was one of the quicker guys in the team, but we had five or six guys who were capable of stepping up and eventually Blair Hill was picked,” McIntyre explains.
 
Westlake spent a week preparing in London. The jogs around Hyde Park weren’t relished.
 
“It was freezing, no more than two degrees most days. It toughened us up for sure,” McIntyre complains.
 
Fortunately conditions were much warmer in Paris, but the track wasn’t a typical cross country course.
 
“The race was held in the heart of Paris. There was no grass or mud, we ran past the Eiffel Tower which was awesome, but a little different from normal,” McIntyre says.
 
The race was attended by the French Minister of Sports Laura Flessel and Education Jean-Michel Blanquer. Additionally former Olympic and World champion Hicham El Guerrouj was present and later shared a photograph with the Westlake team. 

​The field featured 600 athletes from 34 countries along with a crowd of more than 5000 and 300 volunteers.
 
“We wanted to run our best and if we did that we would have been satisfied with the result no matter where we finished. It’s hard to know what to expect at these events,” McIntyre admits.
 
The race was held over 5,300m and the finishes of the top four runners are used to calculate the overall team result. Istvan Palkovits from Hungary was the individual champion and Morocco the team champion.
 
“Sometimes you get a field and conditions which favour you and that’s what we got. The boys were stoked with the result. Sacred Heart got second two years ago. I would love to have raced them. I think we're better,” McIntyre laughs.
 
McIntyre is hopeful of much more international travel in 2018. In May he’ll head to the Melanesian Regional Championships in Vanuatu to compete in the steeplechase with the hope of qualifying for the Youth Olympics in Argentina in October.
 
Westlake BHS - ISF World Cross Country Championships Results
 
5th: Murdoch McIntyre, 16:41
10th: David Moore, 16:57
13th: Stuart Hofmeyr, 17:01
21st: Daniel Robertson, 17:11
28th: Zach Keenan, 17:24
47th: Blair Hill, 18:03

“Athletics is my favourite sport. I’m a bit of a guru in that I’m always studying results,” Oliver Krynen enthuses over his summer time passion.

The year 9 student at St Patrick’s College, Silverstream has been unbeaten for the best part of two years in the 100 and 200 metres and last Saturday claimed the junior North Island titles in those events in Wanganui.

“It was a bit of a step up from Wellington competition. I believe I’m the fastest U14 sprinter in the country. That’s pretty cool,” Krynen says.

The prospect of being ranked so highly four months ago appeared unlikely. In January, Krynen turned up to the Colgate Games in Auckland as a virtual unknown.

“I won the 100 and 200 at the Colgate games. That gave me a lot of confidence because I had done nothing in my previous two Colgate Games. I think I’ve got a lot better because I have become more dedicated,” Krynen observes.

Krynen won the U14 100m, 200m, 400m and shot put titles at the Old Boys Cup against St Pat’s Town, but it was McEvedy Shield success he really craved.

“I had never been to the McEvedy, but it’s one of the main reasons I came to Silverstream. I had heard all about it and studied the results for two years beforehand,” Krynen reveals.

Krynen repeated his success in the aforementioned four events at McEvedy.

“McEvedy was unreal. My favourite win was the 100m because it’s right in front of the crowd,” Krynen acclaims.

At the Regional Championships, Krynen won the U14 100m, 200m and shot put titles.

His PB in the 100m is 11.69s and he has galloped a 24-flat in the 200m, breaking the U14 school record from 2001. Krynen has thrown the shot put 12.67m, good enough for a seventh placing at the North Island championships.

Krynen is coached by Simon England at the Lower Hutt athletics club with support from long time Silverstream athletics guru Hugh Steel.

Krynen is the best junior sprinter Silverstream has produced since Nick Kalivati. In 2002, Kalivati won the National junior 100m hurdles and 200m titles. In 2004, Kalivati represented New Zealand at age group level and was the head prefect leaving the college with 10 athletics records, including the U14 200m mark of 24:06, recently broken by Krynen when he ran a school recorded 24:05.

It should also be noted Nick Smith the senior 100 and 200m National Secondary Schools champion from Hutt Valley High School last year attended Silverstream in 2015 winning the North Island 100/200 double in the intermediate division. Smith set the U16 school records for the 100 and 200m running 10:90 and 21:90 respectively. 

Another long standing record was broken at Silverstream in 2018 when the oldest school record was removed from the books. Sautia Misa leapt a McEvedy record 6.47m in the U15 long jump, eclipsing the mark of John Taripo who jumped 6.04m in the same event in 1942. In 2018, Misa is ranked in the top ten nationally within his age group.

Krynen derives his name from a Dutch grandfather. His parents Chris and Justine are teachers at Hutt Intermediate School. The latter was a nationally ranked sprinter in her youth.

In the winter Krynen will turn his attention to football where he plays striker.

NISS Athletics Results

For full results from the North Island Championships click here: https://nzssaa.org.nz/static/ni-tf-2018/results.pdf

The Auckland Secondary Schools Athletics Championships were held yesterday at Mount Smart Stadium.
 
In an earnest build up to the North Island Secondary School Championships on April 6 in Wanganui there were many fine performances.
 
Connor Bell from Westlake Boys’ High School won the senior discus title by a dozen metres, throwing a record 62.33m. Bell was a gold medalist at the Junior Commonwealth Games in 2017 and should feature at the Junior Olympics in Argentina in October.
 
Dom Overend from Auckland Grammar School continued his top form in the intermediate age group. He won the 100m comfortably in 10.84s and returned to the 200m, winning that event as well as being a member of the record breaking 4x100m relay team.
 
Oliver Parkinson, also from Auckland Grammar School, set a new Boys Open 300m hurdles record, winning in 39.09.
 
Jamie Robertson from King’s College won the Intermediate 400m in 51.78, and then backed up with a tight win over Matthew Eady from Selwyn College. Robertson hit the tape in 2.03.31 ahead of Eady in 2.03.81.
 
Avondale College year nine discus thrower Percy Maka threw 52.79 to win his junior event, also winning the junior boys shot put in 13.66m.
 
King’s College’s Zane Powell was impressive in doing the Intermediate 1500m-3000m double. His schoolmate Hayden Dickson threw the Senior Boys javelin 57.75m.
 
Rosmini College’s Jayden Williamson cleared 1.90m in winning the Intermediate high jump. Top seed Liam Wong from Auckland Grammar won the Senior Boys long jump in 6.32m.
 
In the female events Nadia Evans from Long Bay College enjoyed a productive meeting winning the Junior 100m, 200m and long jump.
 
Gabby Hayton from Auckland Dio had fast feet to claiming the Senior 100/200m double.
 
The first three finishing schools across the tape set records in the Girls 4x100m relay. The record of 49.08 was set in 1986 by Auckland Dio, but first placed St Cuthbert’s ran 48.00 flat, ahead of second placed Takapuna Grammar School in 49.02 and Kristin School in 49.90.
 
Charlotte Holland from St Cuthbert’s College was the only female to run under a minute in the Junior 400m and also captured 200m honours. 
 
The Intermediate Girls 800m was also a close-run finish, between winner Kimberly May of Green Bay High School in 2.17.39, second placed Frances Good of Waiuku College in 2.17.70 and third placed Peyton Leigh of St Cuthbert’s in 217.95.
 
Gabrielle Leech of Baradene College stopped the clock at 1.02.83 in the Senior Girls 400m, ahead of second placed Emma Leaming of Auckland Dio at 1.02.17.
 
Saint Kentigern College’s Nadia Rankin-Chittar won the Junior Girls shot put and discus events, while her school mate Lisa Putt won the Senior Girls long jump and triple jump.
 
Savannah Scheen of Hobsonville High School captured both the Senior Girls discus throw (winning by 70cm) and the Senior Girls Javelin. She also finished second in the Senior Girls hammer throw.
 
Rosehill College’s Taylor Bell smashed the Senior Girls 2000m race walk record, crossing the finish line in 12.31.89, beating the two-year old record of 14.53.05.
 
Manurewa High School medaled in 10 out of 16 hammer throwing events.
 
For full results click here: http://collegesport.co/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/College-Sport-Auckland-Championships-Results-2018.pdf

In the junior triple jump final at the National Secondary Schools Track and Field Championships last December the vibe was so relaxed each of the competitors were joking they would significantly improve their personal bests by a considerable distance. The joke soon became a reality and turned the contest serious.
 
“My personal best before Nationals was 12.70m. I jumped a record 13.58m to win,” eventual champion Sam Colyer from Southland Boys’ High School reflects.
 
“The second placed jumper improved from 12.10m to 13.14m. It was a perfect day and a nice track. Everybody did their best,” he continued.
 
Colyer won the long jump crown at the same event in Hastings and last week annexed the South Island Secondary Schools U16 triple jump and long jump double in Timaru.
 
He could soon be leaping around the world.
 
Next week Colyer leaves for Los Angeles to contest the Arcadia Invitational, a national high school meet, the West Coast Relays and the Bryan Clay Invitational for his club, St Pauls Harrier and Amateur Athletic Club.
 
“I submitted a note of interest and things started to happen. I’m not sure what to expect in the US, but it's about gaining experience and dealing with pressure,” Colyer responds when asked about the purpose of the trip.
 
Earlier in March, Colyer won the National Under-18 long jump and triple jump titles at the National Club Championships in Hamilton.
 
“Conditions were good and the triple jump went according to plan. In the long jump I was struggling until my teammates came over to watch my final jump. They encouraged me to go as hard and as high as I could. I jumped 6.37m which was good enough to win,” Colyer recalls.
 
Colyer has been selected for a compulsory trial at the Oceania Polynesian Games being held in Vanuatu in May. A top-two finish would see him qualify for the Youth Olympics in Argentina in October.
 
“I’m hoping the US will help me prepare for the pressure of Vanuatu. I’ve been jumping well and to go to the Youth Olympics would be a big deal,” Colyer anticipates.
 
Colyer is hoping his back will hold firm. Discomfort from spondylolysis​ (a vertebrae complaint) has been an ongoing concern.
 
“I was born with it, but it only became obvious a couple of years ago when I started feeling sharp, lower back pains. I originally thought it was a muscle injury and I was getting massage treatment to deal with it. When it wouldn’t go away, I found out it was more serious,” Colyer admits.
 
Colyer engages in a number of exercises prior to competing to ensure his back behaves itself.
 
“I sit on a chair and do twists. I have special stretches which I have researched; you can even hear me clicking in exams. My routine looks a bit strange, but it works for me,” Colyer explains.
 
Colyer started jumping in year six and was such a resounding victor at the primary school athletics day he took up the sport permanently. His family run an electrical business in Invercargill. Colyer is coached by local veteran Lorne Singer.

sA MRI scan, a CT investigation, try what he willed, Dominic Overend couldn't resolve the source of an unusual pain. All the Auckland Grammar sprinter knew was something was seriously wrong after a 200m race in Sydney in April last year.
 
“I was competing at the Australian Champs and started the 200m in the lead before something kinda snapped and I was unable to finish,” Overend recalls.
 
“At first I thought I had torn a hamstring or done my Achilles, but when I went to see the doctors they didn’t know what it was either. The pain would come and go,” he continued.
 
Weeks of confusion ensued until the problem was finally diagnosed.  
 
“A bit of bone in my right heel had overgrown, which put strain on my foot especially when turning corners. I had surgery and was in a moonboot for two months,” Overend reveals.
 
Negotiating bends in the 200m became troublesome so Overend made a decision to temporarily abort that discipline.
 
Last weekend, Overend returned to the site of his injury to compete in the U20 Australian championships in the 100m, an event by default which has become his exclusive focus. The results have been spectacular.
 
“I ran 10.75 in the heat, which was a good start and consistent with the times I had been running recently. I had run 10.73 at the central west zone championships, but that didn’t count because of the wind which was unlucky,” Overend says.
 
The New Zealand U17 record was broken by Overend in the heats. Dalton Coppins mark of  10.78 set in 2012 was passed. An even better result awaited in the final.
 
“I ran 10.59. The conditions were perfect. It was still and everything clicked,” Overend enthuses.
 
Overend’s time in Sydney ranks him the second fastest sprinter in the country this year behind senior National champion Joseph Miller whose 25.
 
Overend returned from his injury less than a month out from the National Secondary School Championships in December. He ran 10.99 which would have been fast enough to win the Junior title, but come Hastings he was even quicker.
 
“I ran 10.83 at Nationals, which was a record. That was pretty satisfying given my poor build up,” Overend reflects.
 
Due to the hot conditions in Hastings, sprint finals were brought forward two hours. However, Overend was initially unaware of this fact and was only told about it 20 minutes before his final by senior champion Nick Smith of Hutt Valley High School, giving him a rushed preparation time.
 
The North Island Secondary School championships are in Wanganui on April 6, but Overend may pass chasing a bigger target.
 
“The Melanesian Regional Championships are in Vanuatu in May. If I can finish in the top two in my region at that event, I will qualify for the Youth Olympics in Argentina in October,” Overend divulges.
 
Anywhere between 10.60 and 10.85 can be expected to be the qualifying time for the 100m at the Youth Olympics. The 2014 champion, Sydney Siame from Zambia run 10.57. Odean Skeen from Jamaica was quicker four years earlier setting a pace of 10.42

Note: Katrina Robinson was the most impressive female age group performer in Sydney. She cut eight seconds off her previous best 3000m time in finishing second in 9:03.84 to break her own New Zealand under 18 record and establish fresh records for under 19 and under 20 New Zealand records. Her under 18 record was 9:12.18 set in Brisbane in February, and she erased Rosa Flanagan’s under 19 2015 record of 9:07.85 and Sue Bruce’s 1984 under 20 record of 9:05.95. Robinson who also holds the under 17 record now holds all the junior grades 3000m New Zealand records