There was action aplenty throughout at Athletics Otago's track and field meeting at the Caledonian Ground on Saturday.
Myrtle Rough (Hill City) continued her assault on national age-group records, establishing a second in as many weeks when she whipped 5sec from the 800m women's aged 70 mark set by Canterbury's June Miles, running a slick 3min 19sec.
"I didn't think I could do it, so it's a nice surprise," she said.
Just two weeks ago, Rough broke the 3000m national record time for her age group, and is now lining up the 1500m and 5000m targets at the South Island Masters Games in Invercargill at the beginning of December.
To complete a box set of middle-distance records, Rough reckons if the chance to run a 10,000m comes up, she may give it a crack.
"It's got to be a good day, and no wind," she said.
Her daughter, Shireen Crumpton, won the national marathon championships in Auckland last week.
On the same weekend Rough will be looking to lower the times in the 1500m and the 5000m at the masters meeting, Crumpton will be contesting the Kepler Challenge.
The 800m served up another record run on Saturday, from Dalise Sanderson (Ariki), who set an Otago record for women's 55-60, recording 2min 57sec.
Commonwealth Games silver medallist Jessica Hamill (Southland) announced her arrival on the local scene following her mid-year shift to Dunedin with an impressive victory in the women's wheelchair javelin with a throw of 12.64m.
Talented youngster Biddy Skerten (Taieri) put in an impressive run in the 300m hurdles.
A mistake with her footing at the first hurdle was overcome for an impressive turn of speed over the final 100m, to record 47min 40sec.
Skerten (18), a Columba College pupil, is targeting a shot at redemption when she contests the event at the national secondary schools championships in December after a disappointing result last year, She is also supporting Sophie Napper, Melissa Jane Austen and Laura Saville in the 4x100m relay.
Skerten won the 400m hurdles at the recent Oceania championships in Cairns, establishing a New Zealand under-20 record of 63.65sec.
Later in the meeting she was a member of the winning New Zealand 4x100m relay team.
Another Otago athlete with huge potential, fresh from his victory at the Oceania championships, is discus thrower Marshall Hall (Taieri).
Hall (22) has been consistently over 50m all season, and is likely to now focus on preparing for the grand prix series beginning in January, and later competition in Australian state championships.
Other highlights from the meeting were:Megan McPhail (Hill City) winning the open women's 100m and 200m double, before being a member of the winning Hill City 4x200m relay team.
Daniel Balchin (Caversham) winning the 3000m in 8min 39.50sec.
Glen Ballam (Invercargill) recording 1min 55.70sec for victory in the open men's 800m.
Nicole Bradley (Caversham) capping a successful day with dual victories in the discus, winning both Hurring relay and open women's competitions'.
