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NZ Herald
14-05-2025
- Sport
- NZ Herald
Athletics Insight: Juliet McKinlay, Jonathan Maples lead Whanganui track and field rankings
McKinlay won awards in three categories at the recent Whanganui/Manawatu Athletics Awards and was the New Zealand under-18 heptathlon gold medal winner and a member of the New Zealand Schools team to California. McKinlay had an outstanding season. Year 9 Whanganui High School athlete Jamie Munro is ranked second behind McKinlay in both 100m and 200m, with hurdler Kaylee Bishoff second in both hurdles and 60m while Lulu Dufty, in a year affected by injury, ranked second in both horizontal jumps. Youth was to the fore in high jump with Hannah Cameron and Mareka Kendrawaca displaying high potential. Thrower Phoebe Corin, although small in stature, displays technical maturity and headed the discus rankings and is second to expat Maples in hammer. Another Year 9 athlete, Harlynn Faalili, headed the 300m rankings. Whanganui Girls College hurdler Grace Fannin headed the 300m hurdles and 400, 600 and 800m, showing a strength that will prove valuable when later she progresses to 400m hurdles. Middle distance runner Hannah Byam, who was second over 2000m steeplechase at the North Island Schools, also led the Whanganui 1500m and 3000m rankings. Her Whanganui Collegiate teammate Tilly Darke headed the 800m, with Masters New Zealand record holder Sally Gibbs leading the 5000m rankings. The leading male athlete was Jonathan Maples who topped the rankings in 60, 100, 150, 200, 400m and 400m hurdles. Maples, who had an outstanding season, won the New Zealand 400m hurdles title and took silver in the 400m and bronze in the 4 x 400m. Maples is currently in England and races this weekend at the Loughborough International. Maples is followed by the very promising Damian Hodgson in the 150m, 200m, 400m, 600m and 400m hurdles where he won gold in the under-20 championship. Hodgson follows several former leading local athletes and is US-bound in August. Hopefully Hodgson, like George Beamish, Brad Mathas and Lexi Maples, will retain his club affiliation. Auguz Thongskul had an outstanding breakthrough year, winning a bronze medal at the Athletics New Zealand under-18 championships and stepping two places higher on the podium at the North Island Schools with a new impressive personal best. Thongskul added a personal best of over 0.3s in the 100m, taking third in the North Island championship. The young Whanganui High jumper/sprinter has an exciting future. Colorado-based George Beamish headed the 2000m steeplechase, mile and 5000m with Oliver Jones heading both the 1500m and 3000m (Jones won the MWA Out of Stadia Award in his under-20 age group). Whanganui High School athletes Sean Frieslar, Alex Payne and Lennox Brotherton show considerable middle-distance promise. Top male throwing rankings were shared by Oliver Toohey (javelin), Cody Campbell (discus) and Te Huatahi Bradley (shot). At a recent meeting at Sport Whanganui, there was considerable discussion on where to place North Island Schools on the development–elite spectrum. One opinion shared by all was that schools and Athletics Whanganui need to provide pathways for all athletes, particularly those who showed promise at the North Island competition. Cullinane senior jumper Ethan Linklater, who heads all three male jump rankings and is new to the sport, provides a prime example.
NZ Herald
30-04-2025
- Sport
- NZ Herald
Athletics Insight: Secondary Schools Association stands test of time
The first international event was in cross country with a match with Victoria in 1976, a team in which Whanganui Collegiate athlete Chris Fallows was a member. The first New Zealand Schools Team travelled overseas in 1981, competing in the Australian Schools Cross Country in Tasmania. Over the years, the association grew and introduced new events such as hammer, triple jump and steeplechase for girls before they had been adopted by the national body. Over time, the association developed a stronger and closer relationship with Athletics New Zealand. The major championships, notably track and field, have become major national events on the schools' sporting calendar with more than 200 New Zealand secondary schools participating annually. Initially, international competition only happened occasionally, and it was for this reason that 'paper teams' were selected for cross country and track and field to give recognition to our leading athletes each year, even if there was no tour. Athletes selected had access to a travel grant. From 2012, New Zealand Schools has regularly selected touring teams for track and field and cross country. For the latter, athletes know that if they finish in the top 10 in the senior race, they have automatic selection, with others added to the team of 24 (12 boys and 12 girls). The past 12 months have been busy for the post-Covid New Zealand Schools Association. Chairman and former New Zealand Olympian Tony Rogers led the cross country team (selected from the New Zealand Schools 2023 Championships) to the ISF World Schools Cross Country in Kenya. The team prepared in South Africa. Last August, a team selected at the 2024 NZ Schools Cross Country Championships in Christchurch competed at the Australian Schools Championships in Melbourne. After the 2024 Track and Field Championships in Timaru, the usual 55-strong 'paper team', now called the 'Championship Team', was selected. All those selected were given an opportunity to compete at the January Classic Meetings on the Secondary Schools' Classics Tour. Forty athletes took up this opportunity along with three young officials as part of a development programme. New Zealand Schools has regularly sent a team to the Australian championships. This year's championships were scheduled for Perth, Western Australia. However, it was decided to select a team of 15 to travel to California rather than Perth. Although the cost was higher, California offered a series of meets and a great track and field experience at a not hugely higher cost than distant Western Australia. The association did send a team of three Para-athletes, managed by Raylene Bates, to Perth. The trio performed with distinction, setting three New Zealand records. Whanganui Collegiate athlete Juliet McKinlay was part of the California team. McKinlay competed at four meets, including the prestigious Arcadia Multi Events, and has returned enriched by her experience. She and the team adapted to the varied conditions which went from 31C at Arcadia to 6C at Cal State. All the team flourished in the high level of competition. McKinlay adapted to heavier implements and higher hurdles and rounded off her season with a series of excellent performances. Team manager Ange Russek, in her report, highlighted the many positive lessons from the tour. These included self-management of competition preparation in a new environment, processing performances and takeaways for future events/competitions. Athletes adjusted nutrition, sleep patterns and recovery methods. The team environment allowed athletes to support teammates over long days at the track as part of a team culture that valued all. The association has clearly met its aims.
