Goldfields Primary School's top-ranking running relay team
(from left) Kate Guildford (11), Ashleigh Furze (10), Emma
Smith (10) and Sophie McSkimming (10) train with coach Gary
Smith at the school. Photo by Rosie Manins.
Four Goldfields Primary School pupils are taking their
training to the next level, in anticipation of being accepted
to compete in the South Island primary school athletic sports
championship in Christchurch next month.
The girls have made their presence felt on the track at
recent competitions in Alexandra and Dunedin.
Kate Guildford, Ashleigh Furze, Emma Smith, and Sophie
McSkimming made a great relay team for the girls under-11
200m running event, coach Gary Smith said.
Mr Smith, whose daughter, Emma, prompted his coaching role,
said training had been hard because of a lack of time and
facilities in Cromwell.
A 400m track with lanes was not available to the girls, so
they improvised on a track at Cromwell Primary School.
As well as running and getting used to track racing, training
focused on correctly passing a baton so they could shave
crucial seconds off their time.
"Good quality baton changing is how you can pick up times and
placings, even against fast runners. The girls were each
given a baton to take home for practice," he said.
The girls finished second in the Central Otago primary
schools athletics competition at Molyneux Park in Alexandra
earlier this month.
In the following competition at Dunedin, held for qualifiers
from throughout Otago, they won their first heat, came second
in the semifinal, and were third overall.
Mr Smith does not yet know whether the girls qualified for
the Christchurch competition, but is training them just in
case.
He hopes an athletics club will be established in Cromwell.
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