Hannah O’Connor and Cameron Avery win NZ Junior 3000m titles

Hannah O’Connor (Sacred Heart College, New Plymouth) and Cameron Avery (Cashmere High School, Year 13 2015), won the New Zealand Junior 3000m titles on Saturday at the Potts Classic track and field meeting in Hastings. 


Avery had a good tussle with  New Zealand junior boys' secondary schools 1500m record holder Isaiah Priddey (Hamilton Boys’ High School), James Uhlenberg (Sacred Heart College, Auckland), Sean Eustace (Burnside High School, year 13 2014) and 2015 New Zealand Secondary Schools Cross Country champion Conal Wilson (Auckland Grammar School) before forging ahead over the final lap to win in 9:34.36, almost two seconds ahead of Priddey and Uhlenberg. 

O'Connor won the New Zealand title in 9:52.72. Phoebe McKnight (Hutt Valley High School, 9:54.77) and Deborah Paine (Otumoetai college, year 13 2014, 9:56.94) both ran big personal bests to claim the minor placings. Australian visitor Amelia Mazza-Downie recorded 9:38.22 to take line honours in the race..

Sprinters relished the tail wind blowing at just under the legal limit to record some fast times.

Marlborough Girls’ College’s Lucy Sheat ran a blinder from lane eight in the final of the women's 100m to record 11.68, well under the 11.80 selection standard for the 2016 world junior championships in Poland. The run jumped her up to 14th place on the NZ women's all-time list. 

Christina Wearne (Australia) was second in 11.70 while local sprinter Georgia Hulls (Havelock North High School) also come in under the world junior standard, running a personal best 11.78 for third. 

Brianna Stephenson (Napier Girls’ High School) raised some eyebrows in the women's long jump with a wind-legal 6.06m, to join the exclusive club of 6m jumpers, finishing second to former national champion Mariah Ririnui in 6.21m. National Secondary Schools triple jump champion Atipa Mabonga (Central Southland College) finished third with a best 5.65m jump. 

Also, Danica Davies (St Hilda’s Collegiate, year 13 2015) won the women’s shot put, William Swan (James Hargest College) finished third in the men’s long jump and 2015 Secondary Schools champion Laura Langley (Taradale High School, year 123 2015) took out the women’s 3000m walk.

The Classic series now moves to Wanganui next Tuesday for the Cooks Classic and then the Capital Classic in Wellington on Friday.

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