Tight competition at Auckland Athletics Championships

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

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