 The best of the North Island Schools athletes will be taking part at the NISS Athletics event next weekend. Tonight we preview the achievements of past champions. There are some amazing records here which reinforces the importance of this event on the athletics calendar. All the best to those competing! NORTH ISLAND SECONDARY SCHOOLS CHAMPIONSHIPS OPEN BOYS 2000 Steeplechase Duncan Ross WAN 5.58.6h 1993 3000m Walk Tony Sargisson HBG 12.43.7h 1993 4 x 400m Relay Wanganui 3.19.77 2011 300m Hurdles Nicholas O’Brien WBOP 36.88 1997 Pole Vault Pascal Kethers NHB 4.85 2013 SENIOR BOYS 100m Dalton Coppins AKL 10.78 2012 200m Cory Chase WBOP 21.58 1995 400m R Aldridge WAN 48.78 1980 800m Brad Mathas WBOP 1.51.42 2011 1500m Kieron McDonald WEL 3.53.15 2012 3000m Geordie Beamish WAN 8.23.15 2014 110m Hurdles B. Allen AKL 14.52 2001 Niven Longopoa AKL 14.52 2015 4 x 100m Relay Waikato Bay of Plenty 42.13 1984 Shot Put (5.00kg) Matthew Bloxham NHB 18.41 2013 Discus (1.5kg) Kyle van der Merwe TAR 57.61 2013 Javelin (700gm) C Greening WEL 69.66 1984 High Jump M Wooley WBOP 2.04 1979 O Leonard WBOP 2.04 1979 Long Jump N Park NHB 7.23 1990 Triple Jump Mark Ranby MAN 14.35 1995 Hammer (5.00kg) Matthew Bloxham NHB 69.91 2013 INTERMEDIATE BOYS 100m Nicholas Smith WEL 10.99 2015 200m H Townsend MAN 21.93 2000 400m J. Vandemade AKL 49.53 2003 800m M Stringer NTH 1.56.06 2000 1500m J Stewart ECN 4.01.24 1997 3000m Jake Robertson WBOP 8.49.85 2005 100m Hurdles Andrew Smart NHB 13.33 2001 4 x 100m Wellington 43.65 2015 Shot Put (5.00kg) Jacko Gill NHB 20.85 2010 Discus (1.25kg) Jacko Gill NHB 61.80 2010 Javelin (700gm) Kyle Van der Merwe TARA 60.82 2011 High Jump Nicholas. Gerrard AKL 1.98 2008 Long Jump Jeremy Thumath AKL 6.87 2001 Triple Jump J Verbury AKL 13.60 2007 Hammer Scott Gregory NTH 57.26 2015 JUNIOR BOYS 100m Yaride Rosario ECN 11.18 2007 200m Blake Gordon WBOP 23.01 2010 300m Fa’aolataga Tau WEL 36.97 2012 800m Brad Mathas WAN 2.00.91 2007 1500m Brad Mathas WAN 4.10.47 2007 3000m Bradley Christison ECN 9:25.57 2013 80m Hurdles Niven Longopoa AKL 11.53 2012 4 x 100m Wellington 44.80 2012 Shot Put (4.00kg) Jacko Gill NHB 16.03 2008 Discus (1.00kg) Patrick Hellier NTH 51.18 1985 Javelin (600gm) W. Brunton WEL 52.36 2008 High Jump J Roderique WLG 1.84 2007 M Walker-Tepania WLG 1.84 2007 Long Jump M Waker-Tepania WLG 6.28 2007 Triple Jump Marcus Scott Lucas WLG 12.43 2014 Hammer Anthony Nobilo NHB 43.42 2013 NORTH ISLAND SECONDARY SCHOOLS CHAMPIONSHIPS GIRLS RECORDS OPEN GIRLS 2km Steeplechase Caroline Melsop WAN 6.53.19 2009 3000m Walk Amanda Gorst ECN 14.25.53 2004 2000m Walk Renee Moratti TAR 10.57.24 2011 4 x 400m Relay Waikato Bay of Plenty 3.50.9h 1982 300m Hurdles Amy Robinson WBOP 42.59 2013 Pole Vault Eliza McCartney NHB 3.90 2013 SENIOR GIRLS 100m A Brough AKL 11.86 2002 200m A Brough AKL 24.26 2002 400m Ellie McCleery WBOP 55.50 2012 800m Lynden Wilde NTH 2.08.07 1979 1500m Kay Gooch WBOP 4.30.80 1989 3000m Sonia Barry TAR 9.41.91 1985 100m Hurdles Jane Mitchell WBOP 13.68 1982 4 x 100m Relay North Harbour 47.78 1996 Shot Put (3.0kg) Diana Oloapu WEL 14.90 2015 Discus (1.0kg) Siositina Hakeai AKL 51.20 2011 Javelin (600gm) J Greatbatch ECN 44.35 2001 High Jump C Corbett AKL 1.77 1989 Long Jump C Brunner WEL 5.99 1988 Triple Jump Okpala Nneka AKL 12.08 2005 Hammer Julia Ratcliffe WBOP 59.56 2011 INTERMEDIATE GIRLS 100m Georgia Hulls ECN 12.00 2015 200m A Brough AKL 24.67 2000 400m Talia Horgan WBOP 56.26 2012 J Robson AKL 56.5h 1979 800m A Stuart MAN 2.10.73 1984 1500m A Stuart MAN 4.31.27 1984 3000m O Jesson NHB 9.59.35 1996 80m Hurdles P. Symes WAN 11.68 2008 4 x 100m Relay Waikato Bay of Plenty 48.32 2012 Shot Put (3.00kg) Madison Wesche AKL 15.35 2015 Discus (1.00kg) L Lealai-Salanoa WEL 51.11 2009 Javelin (600gm) Emma Fulbrook WEL 41.56 2013 High Jump Elizabeth Lamb AKL 1.75 2007 Long Jump Sarah Phillips WBOP 5.78 1998 Triple Jump K. Grant TAR 11.56 2003 C O’Byrne TAR 11.92 1997 Hammer Emma Kruszona WAI 48.30 2013 JUNIOR GIRLS 100m Briar Toop ECN 12.10 1987 200m Briar Toop ECN 24.60 1987 300m Maria Hodge NHB 41.10 2012 800m S Paine WAI 2:15.75 2009 1500m Arianna Lord WBOP 4.41.16 2011 3000m Hannah O’Connor TAR 10:10.64 2015 70m Hurdles M Gipson NHB 11.44 2009 4 x 100m Waikato Bay of Plenty 50.62 2012 Shot Put (3.25kg) L Karena AKL 13.09 2000 Discus (1.00kg) N Karena AKL 40.12 1994 Javelin (600gm) N Tuala MKU 34.86 1999 High Jump K Midgley NHB 1.80 2009 Long Jump Paula Coxon WBOP 5.39 1980 Triple Jump K Grant TAR 11.08 2001 Hammer Aimee-Leigh Scott NTH 38.09 2015  Winning an event at this level is outstanding, but what is incredibly exciting is watching your school come in 1st, 2nd and 3rd. This happened 3 times yesterday: 1. Sacred Heart College IB 400m - Michael Graham, Matthew Palmer, Brian Lealiifano. 2. Auckland Grammat JB 3000m - Ben Alexander, Sam Heyes, Eeshan Arora. 3. Auckland Grammar IB Hurdles - Josh Shih, Lionel Ngendahayo, Oliver Parkinson. Note - Field Results are still to come 100m JG - Sofia Lome - Westlake Girls High School: 13.28 IG - Gabriella Hayton – Baradene College: 13.07 SG - Natasha Eady – Kings College: 13.13 JB - Daymon Shute – Waitakere College: 12.32 IB - James Guthrie-Croft – St Peter’s College: 11.79 SB - Kamal Singh – Macleans College: 11.70 200m JG - Cecile Velghe - Saint Kentigern College 27.05 IG - Gabriella Hayton – Baradene College: 26.92 SG - Natasha Eady – Kings College: 26.91 JB - Blake Makiri - Sacred Heart College: 24.97 IB - James Guthrie-Croft – St Peter’s College : 23.33 SB – Caleb Clarke – Mount Albert Grammar: 23.45 300m JG - Cecile Velghe - Saint Kentigern College: 42.27 JB - Dominic Overend - Auckland Grammar School: 38.70 400m IG - Madeline Falconer - St Cuthbert's College - 1:01.07 SG - Paige Satchell - Orewa College: 58.59 IB - Michael Graham - Sacred Heart College: 51.09 SB - Oliver Miller - St Peter's College: 49.29 800m JG - Frances Good - Waiuku College: 2:25.75 IG - Sophie Atkinson - Glendowie College: 2:23.01 SG - Maiya Christini - St Mary's College - 2:20.48 JB - Jude Darby - Westlake Boys High School - 2:11.45 IB - George Cory-Wright - Kings College - 2:05.23 SB - Flynn Palmer - Macleans College: 1:59.82 1500m JG - Lucy Burrell - Baradene College - 5:00.22 IG - Julia Giurgiu - Takapuna Grammar School - 5:10.54 SG - Maiya Christini - St Mary's College - 4:52.93 JB - Jude Darby - Westlake Boys High School - 4:30.92 IB - Stuart Hofmeyr - Westlake Boys High School - 4:34.30 SB - Matthew Manning - Saint Kentigern College: 4:16.11 3000m JG - Noya Oporto - Westlake Girls High School: 11:16.84 IG - Isabelle Robinson - St Cuthbert's College: 11:07.62 SG - Katherine Badham - Takapuna Grammar School: 10:42.41 JB - Ben Alexander - Auckland Grammar School: 10:34.81 IB - Murdoch McIntyre - Westlake Boys High School: 9:33.69 SB - Dan Hoy - Westlake Boys High School: 8:44.36 Hurdles JG - Kaia Tupu-South - Westlake Girls High School: 12.34 IG - Cara Lonergan - Rangitoto College: 12.56 JB - Dominic Overend - Auckland Grammar School: 11.59 SG - Alex Hyland - Onehunga High School: 15.19 IB - Josh Shih - Auckland Grammar School: 14.31 SB - Niven Longopoa - Mt Albert Grammar School: 15.13 300m Hurdles OB - Oliver Miller - St Peter's College: 39.81 Steeplechase OG - Amanda Holyer - Rangitoto College - 7:53.59 OB - Joseph Clark - Westlake Boys High School - 6:27.81 Walk OG - Mesha White - Waitakere College: 14:53.05 OB - Michael McElwee - Sacred Heart College - 16:33.06 4x100m Relay JG - Westlake Girls: 52.90 IG - Saint Kentigern College: 51.48 SG - Rangitoto College: 51.08 JB - Auckland Grammar School: 47.58 IB - Auckland Grammar School - 45.43 SB - Auckland Grammar School - 44.67 4X400m Relay OG - Rangitoto College: 4:21.29 OB - Saint Kentigern College: 3:28.75 Full Results below 
Niven Longopoa is the fastest U18 hurdler in the country. The Year 13 at Mount Albert Grammar School has run 14.19s over 110m and competed in the Youth Olympics.
He’s also part of the MAGS First XV rugby side preparing for this year’s Auckland 1A competition starting up soon. In athletics Longopoa is coached by his Dad and laughs the pair have little idea about hurdling. "We look up brainmac.co.uk and try out their advice. It's a pretty good website because we don't have a clue." Longopoa is of Tongan and Samoan extraction. He started athletics because a club was across the road. At intermediate level he earned a place at the Collegiate Games and finished third in the 400m. Progress was swift and last year he was the outstanding performer for MAGS at the North Island Secondary School Championships. He won four events, the 110m hurdles (equalling the championship record with a time of 14.52s). He also claimed the 300m hurdles title, with a new personal best of 39.15s, as well as winning the long jump with a leap of 6.78m. Additionally he was a member of the successful Auckland 4x 400m relay team and his sister Kalisi won the Junior Girls 70m hurdles with a personal best of 11.63s. Despite this success Longopoa is uncertain whether he will continue with the sport as he harbours ambitions of becoming a professional rugby player. "I love athletics, but to be honest there are more prospects in rugby and I enjoy the team environment. I have had this problem of being too small for rugby and too big for athletics. I will go to athletics Nationals if I can [at the end of this year], but I think I need to specialise with one sport," Longopoa says. Longopoa is a fullback in rugby. He has an elusive counter attacker with a prodigious punt. He was the First XV goal-kicker last season and cracked the Blues U18s and Auckland Sevens sides. However there were two setbacks. Longopoa suffered a serious injury and MAGS just failed to reach the 1A semi-finals. "I dislocated my shoulder while practicing pole vault. Apart from missing a lot of games it affected my confidence when I returned. I didn't feel 100% in the tackle," Longopoa admits "We had a really strong team last year. We won a lot of games, but didn't bond as much as we could of." MAGS will have no shortage of experience in 2016. Nearly the entire 2015 squad returns. Longopoa identifies some key figures in the roster. "Caleb Clarke made the New Zealand Schools last year. He will play in midfield or on the wing. Salyn Tonu'u is a really good halfback and in the forwards Isaiah Papalii has played for New Zealand Schools league team and is a good flanker." Interestingly Clarke and Tonu'u are the sons of All Blacks and Papalii is an Oceania Power lifting champion .  Photo caption: Briana Stephenson competing in the jumping events at the recent New Zealand and Australian Junior Athletics Championships. Photo credits: [email protected] (high jump) and supplied (long jump) Napier Girls’ High School’s Briana Stephenson recently won three gold medals at the Australian Junior Athletics Championships. At the end of this month she’ll be trialling for the New Zealand Secondary School Netball team. She also plays touch and has previously played for her school’s Senior A volleyball team. Currently, Briana, from Central Hawke’s Bay and a boarder at Napier Girls’ High School, is in the midst of a busy stretch that will see her competing and playing in such places as Dunedin, Tahiti, Palmerston North, Perth, Hamilton and Auckland in the space of a month. Last week she won three events at the Australian Junior Athletics Championships, this weekend she’s playing touch for her school at a central zone tournament and over Easter she’ll be playing in a National Maori netball tournament with the central zone Ikaroa ki te Tonga U19 team. Then it’s up to Auckland at the end of the month to trial for the New Zealand Secondary School Netball team, along with 23 other hopefuls including Napier Girls’ teammate Jaydi Taylor-Chaffey. “That’s a great opportunity for Jaydi and I,” said Briana, “we both got cut off at the stage before this last year.” Briana plays in the midcourt and Jaydi in defence. Both have just started Year 12. Last year Napier Girls’ qualified from the central region for the NZSS netball nationals, before finishing 13th of 16 teams at the nationals in Ashburton. “We could have made top eight, but we didn’t have the greatest tournament with some of our main players getting injured.” If selected, Briana and Jaydi would join the NZSS netball team for the International School Girls Competition in Auckland from 2-6 May. Most recently, it’s athletics where Briana has made her mark. Last week at the Junior Australian Athletics Championships at a sizzling Perth, she produced two hot wins in the U18 high jump and long jump events. She jumped a personal best time of 1.75m to win the U18 high jump, whilst she won the U18 long jump in a thrilling finish. “I was coming about sixth in the long jump until my very last jump, but on my last attempt I jumped 5.98m to win it. The girl that came second [from Victoria] jumped 5.95m.” She also won bronze in the U18 100m, behind winner Georgia Hulls of Havelock North High School and then ran the second leg in winning gold in the U20 Women’s 4 x 100 relays, with team mates Georgia, Brooke Somerfield from Tauranga Girls’ College and Natasha Eady from King’s College, Auckland. The winning New Zealand relay team ran a 46.15 time, beating New South Wales and Western Australia teams into second and third place. The previous week Briana had finished second in the women’s U20 long jump, second in the women’s U18 100m and third in the women’s U18 high jump at the NZ Athletics Nationals in Dunedin. Her next meet is in Tahiti after the NZSS netball trials, from 7-9 April, the Oceania Junior Championships. Where does she get her talent from? “Dad was always good at athletics and pretty fast and Mum was good at netball so was the jumper.” Two netballers she looks up to are Casey Kopua and Kayla Cullen. “They are both really good netballers with good attitudes and are hard workers.” As well as sporting endeavours, Briana takes her schoolwork seriously. She has just started Year 12 but has been in an accelerant class meaning she’s also doing three NCEA Level 3 subjects this year.   Wellington Regional Athletics - Photo Credit - Jo Murray,Athletics Wellington Wellington's weather didn't turn it on for the College Sport Wellington Athletics Championships, but the competitors certainty did!
Despite wet, windy and chilly conditions at Newtown Park, 28 schools won at least a single title. There were nearly 100 at steak. Wellington Girls' College was the most successful female school capturing 14 titles. Wellington College won the most boys' events with 12. Remarkably there were nine event records broken. Phoebe McKnight shattered the girls intermediate 3000m record by 51 seconds and beat fellow schoolmate Jayme Maxwell by over 70 seconds! McKnight's final time of 9:39:68s was the first time any girl had gone under ten minutes in the event's history. McKnight was a medalist at the Nationals last weekend. The most impressive boys performer was Hutt International Boys' School junior Finn Seeds. He won the 800/1500m double in record times. In the 800m he ran 2:07:78s beating the previous record set by Max Press of 2:07:88s in 2013. In the 1500m he ran 4:20.18 eclipsing Nic Pointon's (Scots College) mark of 4:29:28s in 2010. He beat teammate George Harrington by 24 seconds. Other boys records to fall went to St. Pats Town pair Max Karamanolis and Zion Trigger-Faitale. Karamanolis won the 3000m in 9:11:76s while Faitele Trigger threw 49.40s in the discus. In the girls events the following records were broken: Lucy Hegan (Wellington Girls' College) - Junior 800m Tessa Hunt (Wellington East Girls) - Intermediate 1500m Libby Leikis (Wellington Girls) - AWD 100m Amania Mafi (Upper Hut College) - Intermediate shot put The North Island Championships are in April. For full results from the College Sport Wellington meeting click here: http://www.collegesport.org.nz/upload/usermedia/files/35901/regional%20athletics%20results%202016.pdf  Photo caption: Isiah Priddey (535) leads race winner Theo Quax (175) and James Uhlenberg (191) around the bend at last weekend’s Men’s U18 1500m in Dunedin. Photo Credit - [email protected] Dick Quax was a world beating runner throughout the 1970s, winning a silver medal at the 1976 Olympic Games 5000m and breaking the world record a year later at the same distance, and setting sizzling international standard times in other events from the 1500m to the marathon. Last weekend at the national track and field championships in Dunedin, Dick’s son Theo grabbed an eye-catching win in the Men’s U18 1500m, smashing his personal best in the process. Having just started Year 12 at Macleans College, Theo beat a pair of well-known secondary school athletes into second and third place, Isiah Priddey from Hamilton Boys’ High School and James Uhlenberg from Sacred Heart College. Isiah and James are also both Year 12 runners, and they also came first and third respectively in the Men’s U18 3000m last week in Dunedin. As well as winning the U18 1500m race, Theo was thrilled his time. “That was a 6-second PB.” he said. “Leading up to it, I had run a recent 1.55 minute 800m and had run a 1500m at the Auckland Track Challenge but my time wasn’t great as I was really tired, being in the middle of my school camp.” “I knew I was going to improve on my best time but neither Dad nor I thought I would lower it by 6 seconds.” How did the race pan out? “I talked to my dad beforehand about it, and the whole strategy for me was to basically sit around second or third the entire race and when Isaiah accelerated, to hold on to him and hopefully have the legs at the end to kick him.” “I always knew it was a challenge taking the likes of Isaiah and James down, I was confident that I could do it, so it was great it came together like it did.” Theo said that for now he’s concentrating on the 800m and the 1500m. “I run a bit of the 3000m as well, but not as much as the likes of Isaiah and James.” As a Year 11 student, Theo finished fourth in the senior 1500m at last December’s NZSS Track and Field Championships in Timaru. Theo was one of three Macleans College athletes – all Year 12s - to compete at the National Championships in Dunedin, alongside Flynn Palmer and Kamal Patwalia. Flynn finished second in the U18 800m, just a nose behind winner Jonno Ansley of Sacred Heart College. Kharmal finished second in the U18 long jump, to Arnold Fage of Hawera High School in Taranaki. “I started running at primary school and winning most years until I encountered Flynn and started coming second! It’s really good to have him as we always push each other.” Naturally, Theo is coached by his father. “My dad’s my fulltime coach,” Theo explained. “I used to run a lot with him, but he came down with throat cancer so he slowed down for a bit. But now he’s back into it again – instead of running sometimes he bikes along next to me.” Theo said he also plays rugby, but this year it’s looking like that will take a back seat so he can concentrate on running throughout the winter and do cross country and keep the training up. The Auckland Regional Secondary School Champions are Theo’s next big meet. They are at Mt Smart on Wednesday 23 March. |
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