South Canterbury Amateur Athletics Club

Timaru’s Tom Walsh has set a Canterbury men’s 19 shot put record at an Auckland interclub athletics meeting with a throw of 17.51 metres.

Meanwhile, Simon Bunckenburg caught the eye in winning the senior men’s 800m impressively in blustery conditions in 1 minute 59.46 seconds at the Canterbury interclub meeting at the weekend.

Daniel Laws took out the senior men’s 110m hurdles in 18.19s and the 400m hurdles in 60.62s, and finished fifth in the 200m in 25.21s.

In the women’s 19 100m Lauren Nicol won in 13.38s, with Nicola Mackle fourth in 13.95s.

Mackle impressively won the women’s 19 high jump with 1.65m.

In the women’s 16 hammer throw, Rebecca Hodgson was impressive, winning with a throw of 44.90m.

Determination fuelled South Canterbury athlete Brittany Cannell’s sprint to victory in the South Island Colgate Games at Aorangi Park at the weekend.

The 13 year old got off to a bad start in the 100m final but said it was her determination that made her catch the others at the 60m mark and then race on to take the gold medal placing in a personal-best time of 13.23 seconds.

She almost went on to make it a double but was pipped at the post by 0.09 seconds in the 200m final and had to settle for silver.

Brittany, who was competing in her sixth Colgate Games, was one of 44 South Canterbury athletes vying for medals in the 10- to 14-year age group.

Other standout performers were Elizabeth Hampton, who won the most medals of the South Canterbury athletes. It was the first time she was eligible to compete for medals.

The 10 year old won gold in the 400m, silver in the 200m and silver in the long jump.

Overall, South Canterbury won 16 individual medals, with Jonathon Lord taking out gold in the 13-year-old boys’ 1600m track walk and Sam Small winning gold in the 14-year-old boys’ discus. He also won a silver in the high jump.

The standout performer for the Geraldine Athletics Club was Jethro Palmer. He was a finalist in all his 14-year-old boys’ events and he won bronze in the discus.

Louise Hefford impressed with three silver medals in the 14-year-old girls’ shot put, high jump and discus.

For Temuka Athletics Club, it was Ronan Jacobs who was the one to watch, winning two silver medals in the 12-year-old boys’ 100m and 200m events.

Families will converge on Timaru today as the 31st South Island Colgate Games get under way at the Aorangi Park all-weather athletics track.

About 915 athletes will compete in the three-day event, with organisers expecting more than 3000 people to arrive in town.

The event will be a busy one for South Canterbury’s Cocking family, who have four members taking part – 12-year-old twins, Whitney and Olivia, their eight-year-old sister Renee, and Dad Andrew, who is managing the South Canterbury club competitors.

Whitney and Olivia will be competing in their fourth Colgate Games, while Renee will be participating in her first.

The twins may even compete against each other in the 100 and 200 metres races, should they make it beyond the heats, and both are equally confident they will beat the other if that should happen.

Renee will be competing for pennants in the seven to nine age-groups, participating in the 60 and 100-metre sprints, as well as the long jump and discus.

The Colgate Games are the pinnacle event for young track and field athletes, aged between seven and 14 in New Zealand.

This year the games return to Timaru for the first time since 2005.

Promotions officer Richelle Cannell said the games attracted a large number of people and the age range of competitors meant they were always accompanied by families.

She said this year’s increased entries should bring even more visitors, many of whom would spend time holidaying in the region before or after the games.

“Over the years many families have based their summer holidays around the games. “With over 900 athletes competing, this will bring an estimated 3000 people to the district, including competitors and their families. The economic benefits are significant.”

The opening ceremony for the games kicks off at 9am today with competition starting at 9.30am