News & Updates

For a second successive day torrential rain descended on the TET Stadium in Inglewood but once again the athletes rose above the dire conditions to produce a galaxy of great performances on day two of the New Zealand Secondary Schools Track, Field and Road Championships in Inglewood.

On a day when much of the track action focused on heats and semi-finals action it was the turn of the field events to take prominence.

Facing the better of the conditions – light drizzle as opposed to the incessant rain which hit around midday – Mia de Jager enjoyed a dream day setting two PB’s en route to snaring the junior girls high jump title with an eye-catching display.

The Rototuna College student matched her PB of 1.70m before sailing clear at 1.73m and 1.75m. De Jager found the championship record of 1.78m beyond her on this occasion but the Criss Strange-coached athlete was understandable elated.

“I was pretty excited, I call this my PB track because I’ve previously had two PB’s here,” said De Jager. “It is a pretty amazing feeling and in high jump it was my best day ever.”

She later returned for the junior girls 400m where she advanced to Sunday’s final the second quickest with a slick 59.06. Josephine Tappenden (Nayland College) was swifter with a best of 58.66.

Kate Haille secured victory in the junior shot with a dominant display to add to the discus title she snared on Friday. The 6ft tall Takapuna Grammar student fired the 3kg shot out to a best of 14.53m to grab top spot from Karmen Maritz (Westlake Girls) with a best of 13.50m.

Haille, who is coached by Walter and Nerida Gill parents of Commonwealth shot put silver medallist, Jacko, said: “It feels amazing to be New Zealand champion. I’m proud of the distances I’ve thrown in these conditions.

“In the discus keeping it dry and stable in the circle was important, which I managed to do. I couldn’t get good flick off the shot because it was so wet, but I’m pleased to throw 14-and-a-half metres.”

Encouraged to join her local athletics club by a former babysitter, she started her life as a sprinter before later converting to throws.

In the battle of the rock stars of the shot put circle national U18 champion Blessing Sefo added the senior boys secondary schools title with a dominant display. The Kelston Boys High School student took an early advantage with a 17.48m effort in round one before saving his best until last with a 17.74m throw. Harrison McGregor (Aquinas) with a best of 17.19m grabbed silver.

Auckland’s Lynfield College boasts a rich throwing tradition with former world discus champion Beatrice Faumuina and Commonwealth shot bronze medallist Maddison Wesche among former students at the West Auckland school. And they might have found another one as Troy Maka claimed gold in the junior boys discus with the best six throws of the competition – highlighted by a 50.08m throw.

“I feel good, I want to thank all the boys here and my parents for supporting me,” he said. “It feels nice (to win gold).”

Hannah Collins enjoyed the competition of her life to smash through the 12m barrier for the first time to secure gold in the senior girls triple jump.

The Te Aho o Te Kura Pounamu student, who is coached by James Sandilands, leapt out to a PB of 12.04m (1.6m/s) to take gold from Charlotte Goldsmith (St Cuthbert’s College), who broke the sand with a best of 11.86m (2.2m/s).

Collins, who relocated with her family from Queensland to New Zealand in March having been born in Australia said: “I’m so excited. It is a dream to win a gold medal at a national competition. Conditions weren’t the greatest but I managed to pull it off. Coming from Australia I’m not used to the cold weather but it was really special to win here because my mum is from Hawera and my grandparents are here watching.”

National U18 champion Forbes Kennedy (Palmerston North Boys HS) added the senior boys long jump title to his growing collection – putting together an impressive series in challenging conditions including a best of 6.94m (1.3m/s) for a new PB in round six. Versatile national U18 200m gold medallist Asher Pettengell-Brand (Christchurch Boys High) was rewarded with a PB of 6.71m (0.9m/s) for silver.

Suzie Kennelly (Kings College) battled through the rain to add the senior girls discus title with a best of 43.54m to the junior girls crown she won at the 2020 New Zealand Secondary Schools Championships.

Hugo Jones (Scots College) edged the junior boys high jump on countback with a best of 1.90m. In highly unfavourable conditions all three medallists – Samasoni Hewitt (St Patricks College) and Tia Wynyard (Kaiapoi High School) – cleared 1.90m but it was the boy from Scots College courtesy of a first time clearance at 1.85m and 1.90m who climbed the top step of the podium.

Karen McDonald (Roncali College) edged a close-fought junior girls javelin event – taking gold with a 33.76m best – just 73cm clear of silver medallist Orla Motley (Criaghead Diocesan), who set a PB. In the junior boys equivalent,  Keagan Sharkey (St Patrick College Silverstream) with 45.56m secured gold.

Honours were shared in the junior girls pole vault as both Talaya Vorster (Rangitoto College) and Angalla Carney (Iona College) cleared 2.90m with identical records.

Six women cleared 2.90m in the senior women’s pole vault but it was Vaya Chaplow (Havelock North) and Lilli Bing, sister of New Zealand 400m hurdles record-holder, Portia, who shared gold with perfect records up to and including that height.

On the track it was job done for defending senior women’s 300m hurdles champion Maggie Jones (Whanganui High School), who progressed to Sunday’s final the quickest in a time of 44.70. Jones was also the fastest athlete to advance from the senior girls 100m hurdles, posting a handy PB of 14.32 (-0.6m/s).

Quickest of the finalists to advance to Sunday’s junior girls 300m hurdles was Meg Edwards (47.40) of Rangi Ruru Girls’ School with Ben Langley (One Tree Hill College) the fastest to progress in the boys equivalent, registering 40.33.

Paul Steyn (Bethlehem College) in a slick 14.10 (0.0m/s) topped the qualifiers from the junior boys 100m hurdles into Sunday’s final. National U18 champion Joseph Dunn (Kings College) marched into the final of the senior boys 110m hurdles as leading qualifier with a 14.85 (-0.9m/s) clocking. James Hansen of Marlborough Boys High School caught the eye in the senior boys 300m hurdles, clocking a PB of 38.51.

The main protagonists all advanced in the 1500m heats. In the junior girls event, the 3000m silver medallist from Friday Imogen Barlow (St Kentigern) topped the qualifiers for Sunday’s final in 4:50.90 and the 3000m champion from Friday, Boh Ritchie (St Peter’s School) also advanced.

The junior men’s 3000m victor on Friday, Alfie Steedman, who set a championship record in the process, earned safe passage to the 1500m medal race, the Westlake Boys’ High student advancing fastest in 4:18.47.

Bella Earl (Whangarei Girls HS) the winner of Friday’s senior girls 3000m, cruised through her heat of the 1500m as the Whangarei Girls High School recorded 4:42.28.

Meanwhile, Karsen Vesty (Havelock North HS) is still on track to complete the 1500m and 3000m senior boys double after easing through the heats of the former event, running a beautifully composed 4:00.85.

James Ford is still on track for a potential senior boys 400m and 800m double. The Kings College student was the fastest to advance to the final of the one-lap event, posting 50.51 and was second fastest qualifier in the 800m event, winning his heat in 1:56.34. Quickest was Thomas Cowan (Westlake Boys), who will present fierce opposition in one of the most eagerly anticipated finals on Sunday.

Jack Erikson (Kings College) was the pick of the athletes in the junior boys 800m, running a tasty semi-finals time of 1:59.29. While Onehunga High School student Lisa Hellyer in 2:17.31 was the number one qualifier in the junior women’s 800m.

It was a huge day of 100m action inside a soggy TET Stadium, with Tyrone Trego (Hutt International Boys School) impressing in the senior boys heats to run 11.08 (-2.0m/s) and earn safe passage into the semi-finals on Sunday. While Rylan Noome (Napier Boys High) the national U18 200m silver medallist looked supreme in running 22.46 (-0.6m/s) – to advance fastest to the final of the senior boys 200m.

Just one tenth of a second separated the five fastest qualifiers to the final of the junior boys 100m led by Ryan Lamb (St Kentigern) in 11.63 (-1.6m/s). While the junior boys 200m looks no less predictable as the two fastest finalists Manaia Lesa (Otago Boys) and Oliver Barnett (Strathallan College) recorded 23.40 (-2.1m/s) and 23.41 (-2.1m/s), respectively.

The Collette twins – Chayille and Addira – of St Peter’s College dominated the heats of the senior girls 100m recording blistering times in the rain of 12.16 (-1.7m/s) and 12.35 (-1.6m/s). Addira also recorded the second fastest time in advancing to in the senior girls 200m final in 25.52 (-2.6m/s) – although she was edged out on time by Micayla Whiti (Nayland College) who ran 25.43 (-0.1m/s) in the first semi-final.

Emilia Goldsmith (St Cuthbert’s College) executed some excellent sprint performances to top the qualifiers in the junior girls 100m and 200m, flashing across the line in 12.66 (-1.6m/s) and 26.02 (-1.5m/s), respectively.

Gold was secured by national U18 5000m (track) and 5km (road) race walking champion Alana Mathews (Rosehill College) in the U18 senior girls 3000m track walk in 17:18.19.

The junior girls 2000m track walk went the way of Yandri Fourie (Epsom Grammar) in 11:27.89 as she repelled a strong challenge from Sinead O’Sullivan (Sacred Heart Girls’ College).

It was another momentous day of record-breaking in the Para events as a slew of New Zealand Secondary Schools and national records were broken.

In the girls senior para 100m all three medallists posted a championship record performance with Sionnan Murphy awarded gold on percentages, as the T37 athlete from Northcote College clocked 16.45. T53 athlete Sarah James (Avonside) in silver with a time of 21.21 took silver and T54 classified athlete Gabrielle Wright taking bronze (Pakuranga College), clocking 21.60.

The men’s senior boys shot provided another highlight as Corran Hanning (Wellington College) powered the metal orb out to a national U20 F12 record of 12.52m. Rorie Poff (St Thomas of Canterbury College) also set a national F38 U20 record en route to silver with a best of 10.26m. Josh Tia set a national F64 U20 record in the para junior boys shot with a best of 8.85m. Tia of Upper Hutt College also set a national T64 U20 record in the men’s long jump (4.12m).

Mason Pye set a brace of New Zealand U20 T44 records with a 15.02 (100m) and 3.74m (long jump).

Una Kinagil-Reding (Rangi Ruru) set a national U20 women’s T46 100m record of 17.86m and Milly Marshall-Kirkwood (Inglewood HS) was in national record-breaking form in the women’s U20 F57 shot put with a best of 5.80m.

Sarah James (Avonside) lowered the women’s senior and U20 T53 national mark in a time of 5:44.69.

Despite the dire weather conditions, Levi Pupualii (Manurewa HS) impressed to add the senior boys hammer title to the national U18 crown he took earlier this year with a PB of 63.13m. In silver Alex Hewitt (St Patrick’s College) also set a lifetime best with a 61.12m effort. In the junior boys hammer Canon Puriri (Kamo High School) was an emphatic winner with a best of 63.36m.

For full results go here

The action on day three of the 2022 New Zealand Secondary Schools Track, Field and Road Championships begins at 8am with the road events. Livestream starts at 9am see more here