TOP CLASS Performance from our amazingly talented students at the WSS Athletic Champs 2021!
Whanganui High school had an amazing day at the WSS athletic champs held Wednesday the 17th of March with High school athletes dominating the sprints, hurdles, jumps and relays as well as showing well in throws.
For the 1st time in more than 30 years WHS won the most individual titles ahead of Collegiate as well as taking many of the relay titles.
The five most successful athletes of the meet were all from WHS:
Maggie Jones – With an amazing 8 titles, 100mtrs, 200mtrs, 100mtrs Hurdles, 300mtrs Hurdles, Long Jump and High Jump, plus 4 x 100mtrs and 4 x 400mtrs
Flynn Johnston - Who secured the 100mtrs, 200mtrs and 400mtrs and 4 x 400mtrs, as well as 2nds in the 110mtrs Hurdles, 300mtrs hurdles, and 4 x 100mtrs.
Nat Kirk – Won the 110mtrs Hurdles, 300mtrs Hurdles, Javelin and 4 x 400mtrs as well as 2nds in the 200mtrs, 400mtrs and Discus.
Coby Pye – Who dominated the intermediate boys’ sprints and won the 300mtrs hurdles, 100mtrs hurdles, 100mtrs, 200mtrs and 4 x 100mtrs.
Emily Corcoran – Took out four titles in the 300mtrs, 70mtrs Hurdles and High Jump as well the 4x100mtrs relay and was 2nd in the 100mtrs.
In a demonstration of WHS No1 status Hurdle among N.Z school’s we took out all 10 hurdle events and in most scored the top 2 places.
In addition to this WHS had a number of 1,2,3 finishes in events to clearly demonstrate our great depth, for example the senior girls 100mtrs with Maggie 1st, Casie Glentworth 2nd and Paris Munro 3rd or the 200mtrs where WHS went one to four with Maggie, Charlotte Baker 2nd, Casie 3rd and Grace Walford 4th. WHS also took 1,2,3 in the Junior girls 100mtrs with Emily Corcoran, Emily Hutchins, and Nevaeh Blake, the 400mtrs Tom Gowan, Cade Knight, and Damian Hodgson and the Junior 300mtrs Hurdles with Coby, Cade Knight, and Noah Jones plus Quin Harris-Campbell winning the Junior Boys 80m hurdles.
Charlotte Baker ended the day with 3 titles winning the 400mtrs the 4x100mtrs and 4x400mtrs and finishing 2nd in the 200mtrs, and third in the 300mtrs Hurdles and Long Jump, while Paris Munro returned to form to take out the triple jump, and 4x100mtrs relay and finish runner up in the 100mtr hurdles and 3rd in the 100mtrs.
The Rennie twins were very strong in the Intermediate girl’s grade with Teresa winning the 100mtrs, 80mtrs hurdles, 300mtrs hurdles and runner up in both the 200mtrs and 4x100mtrs, while sister Carrie won the Long Jump and 4x100mtrs and was runner up in the 80mtrs hurdle, 400mtrs and 800mtrs.
In the boys apart from Coby, Tommy Gowan won the 400mtrs and 4x100mtrs.
Our juniors had a great day too with Emily Hutchins taking the 100mtrs / 200mtrs sprint double and the 4x100mtrs as part of a relay team. Also, in the junior girls Aria Bannister won both the triple and long jumps as well as taking 3rd in the shot.
Cody Campbell dominated the junior throws with titles in the Javelin and Discus as well as 2nd in the Shot Putt.
Overall a fantastic day and a great way to celebrate the 5th year of the Athletics pathway programme, which will culminate this December with the “Party at the Park” at the Secondary school nationals in Inglewood.
WHS is in line for it’s best year ever at nationals and the team is looking forward to hosting past and present athletes and supporters for a big weekend of fun and performance.
A huge thank you to Greg Fromont and Elaine Baker for your time you give to the Sports Performance Programme and Athletics Programme.
Lisa Murphy
WHS Director of Sport 30/3/21
