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.
