With 24 athletes competing at the Saxton Oval in Stoke, the club brought home four gold, eight silver and two bronze medals.

Anna Hayward, 11, competing in the 10 to 14-year-olds, won gold in the 200m (29.3sec) and silver in the 400m (66.19sec) and 100m (14.32sec).

In the same age group, Lauren Bruce won gold in the discus (29.85m) and proved her versatility with a silver in the high jump (1.54m).

Jacob Matson also impressed with a gold in 200m (23.97sec) and silver in the 100m (11.85sec). Elizabeth Hampton also grabbed two medals with a silver in the 400m (63.8sec) and bronze in the 200m (28.44sec).

Mac Basford did likewise, with the 13-year-old winning silver in the 1600m track walk (10min 24.55sec) and bronze in the 80m hurdles (13.51sec).

Christina Ryan was also a golden girl in the 80m hurdles (12.97sec) while 11-year-old Jenna-Rae McIntyre struck silver in the 1200m track walk (8min 56.14sec).

Hampton, Hayward and Ryan joined Kelly Clifford to finish second in the girls’ 13-years 4 x 100m relay.

In the 7 to 9-year-old age group, 13 pennants were awarded to the athletes who finished on the podium. Nine-year-old Jackson Hicks-Sandri led the charge with four gold pennants, in the 60m, 100m, long jump and discus. Sam Borman, 8, won three pennants, with gold in the 60m and bronze in the 100m and discus.

Brandon Lockyer won gold in the discus and long jump while Caitlin Alexander won bronze in the shot put and 200m. Alice Ritchie took bronze in the 200m.

Hicks-Sandri, Borman, Lockyer and Alexander combined to win bronze in the 9-year-old boys, 4 x 100m relay.

Combined Events & Steeplechase Championships

Sandilands was one of eight South Canterbury athletes who won medals at the 39th New Zealand Secondary Schools Track and Field Championships but Sandilands was the sole titleholder.

All five Timaru schools competing at Newton Park brought home medals from the two-day event.

Sandilands ran 14.06sec in the semifinal to qualify third-fastest for the final.

He was then in outstanding form, running a very slick time of 13.48sec to claim gold and record a massive personal best by half a second. Sandilands’ effort was also an age group record and he was later named in the New Zealand Secondary Schools `paper’ team.

Mountainview High School high jumper Lee-Ann McKenzie also impressed.

She won silver in the senior event with a personal best jump of 1.70m.

The title was won on the same height but unfortunately for McKenzie was successful on a later attempt than the winner. However her performance got her named in the New Zealand team and entitles her to travel grants if selected to go overseas in the next 12 months.

Two other Roncalli athletes took medals, with Jacob Matson grabbing bronze in the junior boys’ 200m.

Matson ran a personal best time for the season in his quarterfinal clocking in at 23.08sec, a time that would have seen him share gold in the final.

Leanna Ryan, competing in the senior girls’ long jump, won bronze with leap of 5.31m.

Timaru Boys’ High School’s Jonathon Lord finished second in the open boys’ 3000m race walk in a time of 13min 41.38sec. The walk was seven seconds faster than the current New Zealand under-15 race walk record held by his older brother Daniel but he is still awaiting verification by Athletics New Zealand.

Tyler Collings ran an impressive 400m to win bronze in the senior boys’ final in a time of 48.90sec.

Two other medals were won in the hammer throw.

Timaru Girls’ High School’s Rebecca Hodgson won silver in the senior girls with a throw of 46.69m, while Craighead’s Tessa McNab won bronze in the junior grade with an 38.04m effort.

The eyes of the world are fixed on Auckland kid Jacko Gill (16), who hurled 20.38m to shatter his own national record and seemingly book his ticket for London last week. But while the country celebrated Gill’s talent, Walsh (19) was quietly putting together a remarkable performance of his own.

In fact, the apprentice builder was far more consistent than his younger rival, adding 57 centimetres to his personal best and landing four other throws beyond that previous mark. His 18.83m makes him the world’s third-best junior with a 7.26kg senior implement this year, behind Gill and Pole Krzysztof Brzozowski (19.18m). It also ties him for fourth place on the New Zealand all-time rankings behind Gill, and former Commonwealth Games shot medallists Les Mills (19.80m) and Courtney Ireland (19.45m), and equal with former Commonwealth Games discus champion Robin Tait.

History is littered with great athletes who have toiled in the shadow of superstars, largely unnoticed. Tait played second fiddle to Mills his entire career until finally breaking through at Christchurch in 1974. Perhaps that will be Walsh’s fate.

“To be honest, when Jacko first came on the scene, I was a bit jealous,” he admits. “Now I realise that’s not a bad thing for me. I’m just in the background, working away, and the people who know about the sport know I’m here – that’s all that matters. Jacko’s getting all the hype, but he deserves it, there’s no doubt about that.”

n some ways, Walsh is the polar opposite of Gill. Born and raised in Timaru, his sporting career has revolved around the Kiwi staples of rugby, where he played No8 for the South Island under-16 team, and cricket, having represented Canterbury age group teams as an all-rounder. This is really the first summer he’s pursued athletics as his top priority, although he has represented his country internationally over the past three years.

“I was more interested in cricket until about a year ago but I started to talk to other athletes around the world. They had done all this training, yet I was just a newbie and throwing just as far as them. It made me realise I could go a lot further.”

At 1.83m and just over 105kg, there is certainly some growth left in him. While Walsh considers himself technically sound, he acknowledges his strength and explosive power needs work.

“I was pretty happy with my results last week,” he says. “They’re probably a bit ahead of where I thought I’d be. I’d love to qualify for the Olympics but it’s definitely going to be hard – I’d say a 40/60 chance at this stage.” Gill’s presence just makes Walsh’s job a little harder. Gill has already achieved the Athletics NZ selection standard of 20.30m, they’ll need to surpass the international A standard of 20.50m if both are to appear at London.

The pair will face off again tomorrow at Auckland’s Sovereign Stadium in the second of three special record attempts. This time, Gill will focus on beating the world junior record of 22.73m with a 6kg shot. Walsh will take aim at 20.93m, good enough to take him past Brzozowski and give New Zealand the world’s two best junior shot putters for the year.

by Grant Chapman

Collings will also anchor the senior boys’ four by 400m TBHS team which includes Brett Clifford, Henry Chamberlain and Josh Westland and which could also be among the medals.

Tom Charteris is an outside chance in the senior boys’ steeplechase.

Hammer thrower Rebecca Hodgson, of Timaru Girls’ High School, is another who could be among the medals at the largest athletics meeting in the country.

Hodgson broke a Canterbury record as the Aorangi Park all-weather athletics track before departing and carries good form into the meeting.

The field events could well carry South Canterbury schools’ best chances with Waimate High School’s Ruby Cochrane in the senior javelin and discus while TGHS’s Caitlin Henderson is a contender in the junior javelin.

TBHS’s Michael Dewar is also an outside chance in the open boys’ hammer.

Mountainview High School’s Lee-Ann McKenzie will also be competitive in the javelin and will compete in the high jump.

TBHS’s Jonathon Lord is also a likely medallist in the 3000m open walk.

Roncalli’s Leanna Ryan, competing in the senior girls’ 100m and long jump, will be looking to gain good results after missing out on last year’s nationals due to an injury.

Sprinter James Sandilands (Roncalli) qualified to the final of the junior boys’ 100m hurdles last year when he finished 7th.

Sandilands will be hoping his improvement may put him in medal contention. He cleared 1.85m at a recent club meet and that should have him inside the top 10.

Roncalli’s Jacob Matson could be the surprise package. Matson qualified for the junior boys’ 200m quarterfinals last year in his first year at athletics. If he can reproduce his best form he should seal a final spot.

Unfortunately, Roncalli sprinter Brittany Cannell is out with injury after showing some good early season form.

Craighead’s Lauren Bruce will compete in the junior hammer, triple jump, discus and shot put.

She won both the hammer and triple jump at the South Island event so is a medal contender, but it is a big step up against the North Island’s best.

School-mate Tessa McNab was second in the hammer so will also be out to impress.

Rachel Rolleston was third in the senior pole vault at the South Island championships but will need to do better to win a medal.

We did not contest the Mackay & Drake cups that were in programme for tonight so we will do them on Sunday. It is for 16years and under and you must do 100m, 400m, long jump  and discus (M7W 16 weight) to be eligible. As discus is not on the programme we will be doing it for those who are contesting the cups. So if you wish to contest one of these cups can you please register before 1pm on Sunday. An email is fine but I won’t be checking them after 11am on Sunday.

I have done parent roster for the remainder of the season and will send it out tomorrow or Friday

It was the last major event for many athletes before they compete at next month’s New Zealand secondary schools’ track and field championships in Wellington and South Canterbury athletes were keen to make a statement.

Hodgson broke the Canterbury record in the women’s 20 category with a throw of 49.09 metres.

She had thrown 50.31m at a South Canterbury Amateur Athletics Club (SCAAC) meeting earlier this month, but yesterday, under official conditions, she still had enough to beat the previous mark.

South Canterbury’s Leanna Ryan won the women’s 16 100m in a time of 13.39sec and finished first with a personal best in the long jump of 5.13m.

James Sandilands won the men’s 16 100m hurdles in a personal best time of 14.16sec.

Tyler Collings ran a season’s best time in the men’s 19 400m of 49.08sec to finish second.

Tom Walsh managed 19.29m in the men’s 19 shot put.

Tom Charteris knocked 10 seconds off his personal best in the men’s 2000m steeplechase, after he finished in 6min 37.85sec.

Sam Small threw 47.63m in men’s 16 javelin and finished second in the high jump with an effort of 1.85m.

Tom Cooper managed 45.39m in the javelin and 42.45m in the discus.

Hamish Dewar threw a personal best in the discus of 41.16m.

Lee-Ann McKenzie in the women’s 19 javelin managed 29.34m and a best in the high jump of 1.65m.

Rachel Rolleston threw 19.90m in the women’s 19 and managed 2.10m in the pole vault.

Caitlin Henderson secured 28.64m in the women’s 16 javelin.

There were several top three performances for South Canterbury athletes in junior section events.

Sam Borman finished third in the year 8 boys’ discus (13.48m).

Alice Ritchie was victorious in the eight-year-old girls’ shot put (4.71m), and second in the 200m.

Jackson Hicks-Sandri won the nine-year-old boys 60m in 9.55sec and was second in the 100m.

Bryleigh Collins was first in the 10-year-old girls’ shot put thanks to a 6.93m put and was also third in the high jump.

Sam Ritchie was second in the 10-year-old boys’ 400m.

William Woodall was third in the boys’ 10-year-old discus.

Jenna-Rae McIntyre won the 11-year-old girls’ shot put with an effort of 8.14m.

Anna Hayward came second in the 11-year-old girls’ 60m, and second in the 200m.

Elizabeth Hampton won the 12-year-old girls’ 60m in a time of 8.96sec, finished second in the 200m and third in the high jump.

Christina Ryan was third in the 13-year-old girls’ 200m, and second in the 60m and 80m hurdles.

Mac Basford finished first equal in the 13-year-old boys’ 80m hurdles in a time of 15.19sec.

Liam Cooper was second in the boys’ 14-year-old discus with a throw of 30.58m.

Phoebe Dewar placed first in the girls 14-year-old shot put with an effort of 7.33m.

Jacob Matson finished first in the boys’ 14-year-old 100m in a time of 11.93sec.

Lauren Bruce set a new standard in the girls 14 years shot put 10.24m and Christina Ryan was impressive in the girls 13 years 80m hurdles knocking .5sec off clocking in at 13.3sec.

Other athletes to shine, Tom Cooper with a 41.77m throw in the men’s 16 discus, Fifteen year old James Sandilands had a good day running his third consecutive sub 14sec 100m hurdle race and jumped 1.75m in high jump just touching the bar at 1.80m.

In the senior men’s 800m race Roger Tackney crossed the line in 2.22.5 just ahead of Paul Lynch, while local athlete Brett Clifford competing for Canterbury University in the men’s 19 years finished first in 1.58.5.  Jessica Adams ran well in the women’s 16 years 800m 2.33.2.

Jenna Rae McIntyre hit the 20 metre mark in the girls 11 years discus which gains her a Colgate 5 star award in this discipline. Many junior athletes are all striving towards the five star award programme and achieving personal bests over all events.

In Dunedin, South Canterbury club members also performed well. 14 year old Jacob Matson ran personal best times while competing in the men’s 19 grade in the 100m (11.5sec) and 200m (23.48sec), a class above any other under 16 athlete competing down there.

Tyler Collings finished second in the men’s 19 400m, 49.96secs in blustery conditions towards the end of the meet.  Tom Charteris won the men’s 19 1500m, 4.21.90 in a controlled performance.  In the women’s 16, Ruby Cochrane finished second in javelin, 29.35m and Hayley Davidson finished third in the 1500m, 5.47.98.

This Saturday Athletics Canterbury are holding their interclub meet in Timaru, juniors morning and seniors in the afternoon.

This will be the last major event for our local senior class athletes to compete with Canterbury and Otago athletes before many of them head to the National Secondary Schools Athletics and Road Race Championships in Wellington early December.

Season Programme

Canterbury Programmes in Timaru

Warm weather and a strong wind behind was used to good advantage in the 100m sprints.

Ben Sewell, 10, knocked 0.4sec off the record, stopping the clock at 13.9sec, while Anna Hayward ran 13.8sec to beat the 11-year-olds’ record by 0.5sec. Elizabeth Hampton, 12, equalled the 14.1sec record, while sisters Christina Ryan (13) and Leanna Ryan (16) did the same in their age groups, with 13.2sec and 12.8sec, respectively.

In the field, Sewell smashed the high jump record with a 1.35m effort, 7cm better than the old mark. Leeanne McKenzie jumped 1.65m in the women’s 19 years high jump, also setting a club record by 5cm.

The highlight of the day was Rebecca Hodgson breaking the Canterbury women’s 19 years hammer record, with a massive throw of 50.31m on her third attempt, 2.3m past the old mark.

Good performances were also recorded in Dunedin by South Canterbury athletes. Henry Chamberlain recorded personal best times in both the men’s 19 years 100m (11.86sec) and 200m (24sec) to finish fourth and third.

Tom Charteris won the men’s 19 years 2000m steeplechase in 6min 47.79sec, a personal best.

Brett Clifford finished second in men’s 19 years 800m in 1min 58.71sec.

Ruby Cochrane won the women’s 16 years discus with a throw of 33.22m.

Caitlin Henderson finished third in the women’s 16 years 200m in 29.27sec and Adam Chamberlain finished second in the boys’ 14 years 3000m in a personal-best time of 10min 48.76sec.