• White claims titles, records
Nikita White (Otago Girls' High School) smashed five records
in the AWD ID section of the New Zealand secondary schools
athletics championships in Wellington in December.
Her performances were all better than her previous best: 100m
(15.68 sec), 200m (32.39 sec), 400m (76.90 sec), shot put
(5.99m) and javelin (11.71m).
Nikita has been competing in athletics for two seasons and
has now achieved national titles in all events from
cross-country to track and field.
The other top performer for Otago Girls' was Anna Kean. Anna
ran a tactically sound race to pick up the silver medal in
the senior 1500m behind the record-breaking Becky Greene, of
St Hilda's. Anna was selected for the New Zealand secondary
schools team along with six other Otago athletes.
Otago Girls' relay teams performed creditably, with the
junior 4 x 100m team missing a medal by less than 2m.
Cromwell College
Three Cromwell pupils have qualified for the New Zealand age
group swimming championships in Wellington in March. Emma
Patton qualified in the 400m IM, Jack Harrison qualified for
the 200m backstroke, and Nikayla Bolch qualified for the 50m
butterfly. At the Otago-Canterbury championships, Jack won
silver in the 100m and 200m backstroke, and Nikayla a bronze
in the 50m butterfly.
The newly formed rowing crew of Daniel Anderson, Ethan Pugh,
Connor Thompson, Joe Pugh and Matt Bolch placed third at the
South Island club championships. The boys will be working
hard now for Maadi Cup in late March.
• St Hilda's
The St Hilda's First XI cricket team returned from a
successful New Zealand secondary schoolgirls final in
Palmerston North. This is the third time the team has
competed in the national finals, having been at the 2008 and
2010 events in Taupo. The weather affected the fluidity of
the tournament this year, but the team was able to play five
out of the seven scheduled games.
The team performed remarkably well, growing in strength as
the tournament unfolded, finishing a creditable fourth from
the eight finalist teams, and the 128 teams that started the
elimination processes in February.
St Hilda's beat St Kentigern's in the first game, but then
lost to Palmerston North Girls'. St Hilda's then had two
10-wicket wins, against Westlake Girls' and Wanganui
Collegiate School.
With one day to play, the team was in second equal place with
sufficient points to guarantee at least fourth place or
better.
On the last day, St Hilda's played against unbeaten
Christchurch Girls' High School, the defending champion.
Christchurch Girls' batted first and made 96 for six wickets
from their 20 overs. On a slow, relatively low wicket, the
run chase would always be a challenge. But St Hilda's gave it
a good go, finishing just six runs short of victory.
Nine St Hilda's athletes travelled to Wellington to compete
at the New Zealand secondary schools championships. There
were outstanding performances from Rebekah Greene, who won
the 1500m and 3000m in record times; Caitlin O'Brien, silver
in the senior 800m; Meg Mckay, silver in the junior high
jump; and Erin O'Brien, bronze in the open 2000m walk.
The St Hilda's touch team qualified for the national schools
tournament in Hamilton in December. The team had three wins
and was competitive in the other games.
Alex King and Brooke Craik won the plate section in the pairs
at the New Zealand schools bowls championships in December.
• Columba success
Twelve athletes represented Columba College at the New
Zealand secondary schools track and field championships in
Wellington. Many girls achieved personal bests and top eight
finishes.
Sophie Napper was selected in the New Zealand team. It was
great recognition for Sophie, who has trained hard and showed
determination and focus required at this level. Sophie gained
a bronze medal in the senior 100m with a personal best time
of 12.48sec.
The 4 x 100m senior relay team of Sophie, Renaye Flockton,
Melissa Jane Austen and Laura Saville ran the race of their
lives in 49.86 sec to win gold.
Members of the Columba College cycling team spent the final
week of the school holidays training in Auckland at the Otago
Schools' Cycling League summer camp. The camp focused on
building endurance plus cycling essentials. Suzy Pryde (camp
leader) and Chris Drake (camp organiser) led the rides.
Cyclists aged 13-18 rode hard each day, with rides from 48km
to 92km. The camp highlights were racing in a time trial on
the Auckland waterfront, and the final 92km ride to Te Atatu
Peninsula, which included a climb up Mt Eden for the views.
Bridget Thayer has been selected in the Talent Xcelarator
programme for promising athletes in 2012 for netball.
Bridget is a reserve triallist for the New Zealand schools
trials. She was selected in the Otago Sparks cricket team and
the Otago under-21s.
Emma Winders was second in the under-17 single sculls at the
South Island rowing championships, Laura Bridger was second
in round one of the New Zealand under-19 mountain biking cup,
and Phoebe Steele and Olivia Wilson have been selected in the
Otago under-21 touch team.
• Dunstan High School
Seven records were broken on an excellent track at the 51st
annual Dunstan High School athletics day recently, in cool
conditions.
Rhian Ward set records in the intermediate boys 3000m, 800m
and 400m.
Records also included intermediate boys triple jump (Jayden
McLew), intermediate girls shot put (Eirlys Bond), junior
girls discus (Simone Keane) and junior girls triple jump
(Adriana Mawhinney).
Bowls newcomer Paige Richmond competed at the national
secondary schools championships in Christchurch in the
holidays, ranking fourth in the girls singles.
Several Dunstan pupils competed in kayaking national
selection races in Kawera and Mangahao. Geoff Johnson and
Finn Butcher secured New Zealand junior team spots, providing
the chance to travel to Wausau, Wisconsin, for the world
junior champs this year.
Dunstan High School cyclists have continued to do well in
recent months, with Liam Aitcheson and Tom and Georgia Vessey
selected in the Southland team to compete at the national
track championships in March. The major event on the cycling
calendar is the UCI Oceania road championships to be held in
March in Queenstown. Tom has been selected in the New Zealand
under-19 team for this event. All Dunstan cyclists will
travel to the North Island in April for the New Zealand
selection tours.
Calendar
Today: Summer orienteering series, Dunedin
February 23: Triathlon and multisport race,
Cromwell
March 3-4: Southern schools water polo, Dunedin
March 4: South Island triathlon/duathlon, Oamaru
These articles are compiled by the Otago Secondary
Schools Sports Association (OSSSA) which is proudly sponsored
by Perpetual. Contact Des Smith, Otago Regional Sports
Director, PO Box 6303, Dunedin. Email:
des@osssa.org.nz
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