Just three Aspiring Athletes Club (AAC) athletes dared to brave the bad weather at The Caledonian in Dunedin last weekend (November 2).

AAC coach Michael Beable said it was mostly cold - with rain, and hail – and unhelpful strong winds.

Nonetheless, Phoebe Laker, a year 11 Te Kura o Tititea Mount Aspiring College (MAC) student, continued her excellent form from her previous two outings this summer. 

Running the Mixed Open 400m race, she was the fastest woman, setting a new personal best (PB) of 56.90 seconds.  

Her time also broke a set of three Otago records: for women aged 15, 16 and 17. 

This is at least the fifth time she has broken these records, Michael said.

Her time also set new AAC records for all female categories, age 15 and above.

“It was an extraordinarily good performance by Phoebe, given the appalling conditions that prevailed at The Caledonian,” Michael said.

“In calmer, warmer weather she would likely have gone almost a second faster.”

Phoebe had earlier run the Women’s Open race, placing second with a time of 12.37s and winning her age group. It was slightly quicker than her time of two weeks ago, but it was aided by a very strong wind (9m/s).

Georgie Bruce was the second AAC athlete who competed on Saturday. She won her race, in Section 2 of the 100m, in 13.60s, and in the Men’s & Women’s Mixed Open 400m, she placed second among the women with an encouraging 63.24s.

“This time might have been one or two seconds faster, in friendlier weather,” Michael said.

The third AAC athlete competing was Matthew Botting (year 13 at MAC). He was close to his recent best form, with a second placing in the Mixed Open 400m, in a time of 53.36s. He was also sixth in the Men’s Open 100m, with 11.88s.

These three, and most of the remaining senior members of the club, will next compete on Saturday week at the Caledonian.

They all are looking forward to some quality speed training, which they will be able to do now that they have returned to their training base (the track at Three Parks) for the rest of the summer (and the winter), Michael said.

“Delta have done a good job the last month in repairing the 3P ground after football’s use of it in winter. It should mean that the athletes will be able to improve on their speed, sprinting on the safer surface at 3P and with lower-cut grass,” he said.

This will help the senior MAC athletes in the club as they prepare for the NZ Secondary Schools Athletic Championships, which will be held in Timaru on December 6-8.

PHOTO: Supplied