Grimaldi honoured for outstanding year

Athletics Otago athlete of the year Anna Grimaldi (centre) with her parents Di and Tony Grimaldi at the awards ceremony at Logan Park last night. Photo: Linda Robertson.
Athletics Otago athlete of the year Anna Grimaldi (centre) with her parents Di and Tony Grimaldi at the awards ceremony at Logan Park last night. Photo: Linda Robertson.
Anna Grimaldi was the big winner at last night's Athletics Otago awards night.

The Paralympic gold medallist took home the para-athlete of the year, senior summer athlete of the year and Otago athlete of the year awards.

One of four medallists from Otago at last year's Rio Paralympics, Grimaldi jumped a 21cm personal-best to win the T47 long jump with a distance of 5.62m.

It was also a New Zealand record.

She broke another New Zealand record in the 100m at the Games, running 12.96sec and finishing fourth to narrowly miss a second medal in fourth place.

Since returning, she has won gold in the para-long jump and 200m at the New Zealand championships, as well as silver in the para-long jump at the Australian championships.

Raylene Bates, who travelled with the New Zealand team to Rio, won Otago coach of the year.

She coached athletes who broke five New Zealand records and 21 Otago records in the past year.

Her athletes include Paralympic javelin medallists Holly Robinson and Rory McSweeney, as well as national women's javelin record-holder Tori Peeters.

Oli Chignell and Mel Aitken won the men's and women's winter athlete of the year respectively.

Chignell claimed wins in the under-20 grade at both the Otago road and cross-country championships, as well as at the Edmond Cup.

He was seventh in the under-20 national cross-country championships.

Aitken finished first in the women's 35-39 age-group at the national cross-country championships, while also winning the Otago marathon.

Felix McDonald won junior summer athlete of the year on the back of two national titles and a record.

He was the men's under-20 decathlon champion at the New Zealand combined events championships, as well as being a member of the champion Otago 4x400m under-20 relay team.

Representing New Zealand, his under-19 4x100m relay team broke the national record.

He also finished third in the under-20 long jump at the national championships.

Malcolm Giles and Marion Harris were joint winners of the contribution to athletics award.

An official for more than 20 years, Giles also plays a key role in tidying the equipment and fixes much of it to save money.

Harris, who is the uniform and summer trophy steward for Athletics Otago, puts much work into the preparations for the awards night.

Add a Comment