Wānaka’s sprint stars continued to shine at last weekend’s (November 16-17) regional athletics competition while leading the way for younger local athletes to emulate.

At the annual event - which commemorates New Zealand Olympian gold medal long jumper (1952) Dame Yvette Williams - eight Aspiring Athletes Club (AAC) members distinguished themselves on the Caledonian Track, in Dunedin.

Despite the windy, wintry conditions, all the AAC athletes achieved good performances and some were outstanding, AAC coach Michael Beable said.

Records fell once again to Year 11 Te Kura O Tititea Mount Aspiring College (MAC) sprinter Phoebe Laker in her favoured 400m distance as she clipped a substantial half second off her personal best time (PB) when winning the women’s open 400m in 56.4 seconds.

Michael said this is the third time in the last five weeks Phoebe's 400m success has consecutively set three new Otago 400m records in the women’s 15, 16 and 17 age categories.

Phoebe (15) also won the women’s open 200m in a fast 25.24s but was pipped on the line in the women’s open 100m by fellow AAC sprinter and former MAC student Niamh Townsend.

Niamh (19) won the 100m in 12.53s and took gold in the women’s open 60m in 7.96s. She also placed third in the women’s 200m, an event she is using for training for her upcoming competitions, Michael said.

Georgie Bruce is another AAC athlete using various sprint distances to improve her future performance in her main event the 400m; her best result for the weekend was fourth in the women’s 200m.

Also setting a new PB was Year 13 MAC student Cody Armstrong (18) who ran an impressive 22.57s in the fast-finishing men’s open 200m, and was beaten into second place by a mere 0.09s behind Otago’s top under20 sprinter Sebastian Ferro.

“Cody’s time bettered his previous best by 0.37s - a huge improvement,” Michael said, but the tailwind winds meant it won’t be officially recorded. 

He also won the men’s open 400m in a time of 51.33s. 

Fellow Year 13 MAC student Matthew Botting (17) had a satisfying competition placing third in the men’s open 100m (11.78s), and fifth and fourth respectively in the 200m and 400m. 

Michael said he was very pleased with the results gained by the three younger AAC athletes who competed in the women’s under16 events.

Year 9 MAC student Vienna Harley won both section 2 of the women’s 60m and Section 3 of the women’s 100m; won the women’s under16 80m hurdles and placed second in the women’s long jump with a leap of 4.42m into stiff headwinds. 

Up and coming local athletes Lillian Lake (left) and Eve Pfahlert take first and second in the women’s U16 (Section 2) 200m.

Meanwhile, fellow Year 9 student Eve Pfahlert (13) placed second in Section 3 of the women’s 100m, won Section 2 of the women’s 200m (29.24s) and ran third in the women’s 400m.

And the contingent’s youngest athlete, Year 8 MAC student Lillian Lake competed in three sprints with her best result being second in Section 2 of the women’s 200m just behind teammate Eve and fifth in the U16 women’s long jump.

Next up for the senior athletes will be the National Secondary Schools Athletics Championships in Timaru, December 6-8.

PHOTOS: Supplied