Biggest open Athletics meet of the year happens in Whanganui and WHS will be well represented

This Saturday night the biggest open Athletics meet of the year happens in Whanganui and WHS will be well represented by 3 current and two former pupils’ in the elite senior events. The event has drawn the best athletes in N.Z with many Olympic hopefuls lining up.

Maggie Jones and Nat Kirk both start in their first serious race’s over the 400mtrs Hurdles and both will be up against the current N.Z record holders and possible Olympians in Portia Bing and Cameron French. Maggie is the current N.Z Secondary schools 300H champion and No1 ranked U18 and Nat the bronze medallist from N.Z secondary schools in both the 110H and 300H. They will use the meet as an important lead into the N.Z champs in March and to hopefully put them both at the top of their respective N.Z U18 rankings. They both have huge potential in these events especially as they are only just heading into Yr12 and have two more years in the secondary school ranks.

Yr 13 Flynn Johnston who has made great strides lately and was 4th at the N.Z secondary schools also over 300H, starts in the senior men’s 400mtrs and ex-student and training group member Travis Bayler the Men’s 800mtrs both of which have also drawn high quality fields. Both will be looking for personal bests and to sharpen their form ahead of the N.Z champs in March.

Also, Sophie Andrews who finished off her WHS career in Tauranga with and excellent 5th in the senior Javelin will compete in the senior women’s Hammer, Shot and Javelin against some high class throwers.

The meet kicks off at 6pm tomorrow night with the elite events starting at 6.50 and can also be followed on Sky sport Next.

Good luck to the WHS contingent. 💚💛

Lisa Murphy
WHS Director of Sport 29/1/21