Records tumble at Wellington Regional Athletics

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

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