Grand Prix Track & Field Meeting Newtown Park Sat 25 Nov

Frenchman, Nils Poncet got out to 6.87m

Chris McIlroy nails the 3000m race in 8.47.84

This event provided those heading off to next weekend’s National Secondary Schools Champs with a last chance to test out leg speed and arm strength.  Like all other National Schools Athletics events the numbers attending are huge and the competition fierce.

Good conditions so unusual at this time of the year when strong northerlies tend to prevail delivered some good performances.   

Adding to the interest were several experienced athletes from overseas who are now living in NZ or perhaps just visiting.  

This included Nils Poncet from France who has a PB of for the long jump.  

In the 3000m British teacher Kieron Sexton chased a speedy Chris Mcilroy for 2^nd place – we first saw Kieron at the Waterfront 5km a few weeks back battling around the course in a Wellington nasty wind.

Other mentions should go to five-time national high jump champion Billy Crayford who got to 1.95m which is more than respectable as an early season performance.  Last year he picked up a silver at the National T&F Champs in Hamilton with a jump of 1.97m, but he has gone much higher - 2.15m to be exact.

Down at the Shaka Sola end of the park, Lower Hutt club thrower Nathaniel Sulupo picked up a Men's 19 record with a discus biff of 55.45. I don't know what Shaka has been feeding his athletes but he certainly thinks some of the skinny 1500m college kids could do with a good feed. And he said as much to them. 

I should also like to point readers to Heat 2 of the 100m race in which Italian born Allesandro Pinna, and 400m specialist, produced an 11.68 to hold off the challengers.  Not bad for a 51 year old.        

Results

Javelin Photos

Pole Vault Photos

800m Photos

100m Photos

400m Photos

High Jump Photos

3000m Photos

Long Jump Photos

1500m Photos