Wānaka sprinter Phoebe Laker has begun the 2025/26 athletics season in strong form, posting one of her fastest-ever times at Athletics Otago’s Inter-Club Opening Day in Dunedin on Saturday (October 11).

The year 12 Te Kura o Tititea Mount Aspiring College (MAC) student - who already holds three national titles in the 400m for New Zealand Secondary Schools, New Zealand Women Under-18, and Australian Women Under-17 - clocked 54.69 seconds in the mixed-gender Open 400m, her second-fastest time ever.

“This time was close to her personal best of 53.87s which she set at the Australian National Champs in April,” Aspiring Athletics Club (AAC) head coach Michael Beable said.

“Putting her race time into a national perspective, it would have still won her the 2025 Australian National W17 title by 0.66s.”

Another bonus of the result, Michael said, is it’s expected to qualify her for the World Under-20 Athletics Championships in the United States in August 2026.

Earlier on Saturday Phoebe recorded another exceptional result, with a hand-timed personal best of 12.10s for second place in the Women’s Open 100m - her fastest ever over the distance - despite electronic timing failures.

The competition, held at Dunedin’s Caledonian Ground, marked the start of the new season for Aspiring Athletics Club (AAC), with several Wānaka athletes making the trip south.

Technical issues affected other AAC sprinters, with Lillian Lake (who won her Open Women’s 100m heat) and Ruby Swamy (third in the same race) missing out on official times.

In the Women’s Open 400m, MacKenzie Smith placed second in 65.04s, with her twin sister Olivia fifth - useful preparation ahead of MAC’s 4x400m relay campaign at the New Zealand Secondary Schools Championships in December.

Junior athlete Harriet Grant also impressed, finishing second in her category in the high jump (1.45m), running 14.98s in the 80m hurdles, and teaming up with Caley Clifford, Jared Enoka, and Tilly McLean for fourth in the mixed 800m.

“The results from this early competition were encouraging and indicate that the AAC’s athletes can look forward to another successful summer,” Michael said.

PHOTO: Supplied