The Otago athletics championships were held at the Caledonian Ground in Dunedin over the weekend, despite the wet and windy conditions. The event saw some impressive performances from athletes of all ages, who broke several records and qualified for national and international competitions.
Young stars shine in sprint events
One of the highlights of the championships was the sprint events, where young stars showed their speed and talent. In the under-18 100m, Felix McDonald of Taieri ran a blistering 10.77s, breaking the Otago record of 10.79s set by Andrew Whyte in 2009. McDonald also won the 200m in 22.12s, just 0.01s shy of the record.
Another record-breaker was Emma McKay of Hill City-University, who won the under-18 100m hurdles in 14.48s, smashing the previous record of 15.06s set by Fiona Morrison in 2007. McKay also won the 100m in 12.51s and the 200m in 25.87s, dominating her age group.
Middle-distance runners impress in tough conditions
The middle-distance events were also competitive and exciting, as runners battled the rain and the wind. In the senior men’s 1500m, Oli Chignell of Hill City-University ran a superb race, clocking 3:45.97 and qualifying for the World University Games in China later this year. Chignell also won the 800m in 1:54.88, edging out his clubmate Jonah Smith by 0.02s.
In the senior women’s 1500m, Rebekah Greene of Leith Harriers ran a strong race, winning in 4:23.81 and qualifying for the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham next year. Greene also won the 800m in 2:11.74, ahead of Anna Carswell of Hill City-University, who ran 2:12.64.
Field events showcase power and skill
The field events were not affected by the weather as much as the track events, and some athletes took advantage of that to produce some outstanding results. In the senior men’s hammer throw, Todd Bates of Taieri threw a massive 63.44m, breaking his own Otago record of 62.90m set last year. Bates also won the discus with 49.81m and the shot put with 15.87m, completing a hat-trick of titles.
Another record-breaker was Kaia Tupu-South of Hill City-University, who won the under-18 discus with 49.29m, breaking the Otago record of 48.50m set by Anton Schroder in 1997. Tupu-South also won the shot put with 14.54m and the hammer with 55.13m, dominating her age group.
Para-athletes inspire with courage and determination
The championships also featured some para-athletes, who competed with courage and determination. In the senior men’s 100m, Jacob Phillips of Hill City-University ran 12.28s, breaking the New Zealand T37 record of 12.40s set by himself earlier this year. Phillips also won the 200m in 25.34s and the 400m in 58.34s, setting personal bests in both events.
Another inspiring performance was from Anna Grimaldi of Taieri, who won the senior women’s long jump with 5.22m, qualifying for the Paralympic Games in Paris next year. Grimaldi, who won gold at the Rio Paralympics in 2016, also competed in the 100m and 200m, running 13.40s and 27.40s respectively.
The Otago athletics championships were a success, despite the challenging weather conditions. The event showcased the talent and depth of the Otago athletes, who will now look forward to the national and international competitions ahead.
