Athletes from Aspiring Athletes Club (AAC) opened their summer season in great form at the inter-club competition at the Caledonian Track in Dunedin recently (Saturday October 14).

While not many Wānaka athletes made the trip to Dunedin, those who did performed exceptionally well in cool and blustery conditions, and personal bests (PBs) were almost commonplace.

”It was a very satisfying outcome for all these athletes,” coach Michael Beable (a senior coach with AAC) said.

“They were delighted their winter training had already produced such good results. 

“It has given the MAC [Te Kura o Tititea Mt Aspiring College] athletes extra confidence as they continue their preparations for the New Zealand Secondary Schools Athletics Association Championships (NZSSAAC) which will be held in Christchurch, December 8-10.” 

Competing in the women’s age 12+ 60m sprint, Niamh Townsend (year 13 MAC student) won a tight tussle against a Hamilton Hawks senior athlete, in a time 7.84s - a PB. Niamh also ran her fastest-ever 100m, with a second place in the women’s race, with a time of 12.50s. 

In the men’s age 12+ races, year 12 MAC student Cody Armstrong placed first in his section for the 100m, with a PB time of 11.53s. He also won his section for the 400m in 51.75s, a PB by 0.86s, which was the fastest of the day.

Matthew Botting (year 12 MAC student) also achieved a PB in his 100m race, with 11.88s, and in the 400m with a time of 54.16s.

Phoebe Laker - a year 10 student at MAC and the current New Zealand women’s U16 400m titleholder - continued her winning ways from last season.  

She was first in the W12+ 400 in 57.96s, an impressive time so early in the season. In the 100m earlier, she recorded a very good season-opening time of 12.88s.  

Georgie Bruce (a former MAC student now in her second year at Otago University) shone through in the 400m, placing second with 62.73s.

The senior results followed excellent performances in the morning by their younger clubmates who participated in Athletics Otago’s first junior competition of the season, the ‘Ribbon-Day’ meeting (at which no times and distances are recorded). 

AAC junior competitors included: Blake Dickens (grade 12) who competed in 100m (first), shot put (first), long jump (second) and 800m (fourth), showing that his training efforts over the winter months had paid off; grade 11 girls Charlise Wyatt and Mia Sklenar, who competed well in 100m, 800m, SP and LJ, with best results with a first in the 100m and fourth in the 800m respectively; and the youngest AAC athlete of the day, Emmie Wyatt (grade 9), who competed in the 100m, 60m, Vortex and LJ, gaining a fourth, first, third, and sixth in those respective events.

Everything augurs well for another successful season ahead for the club, Michael said.

PHOTO: Supplied