Papanui High athletes shine at track and field champs

Four Papanui High School students brought home gold from the national secondary schools track and field championships in Napier.

Para-athletes Cody Lamond (junior boys’ 800m, 1500m and 2000m), Sam Churchill (senior boys’ 800m), Connor Carston (senior boys’ long jump, discus and 2000m) and Adi Pathak (junior boys’ shot put) all claimed individual titles last weekend. And together the quartet also won the para 4x100m relay.

Christ’s College pair Otto Church and Sam Moore won the senior and junior boys’ pole vault respectively, while Boys’ High juniors Vern Toaolamai-Holden (100m) and George Gainsford (hammer throw) also secured gold medals.

Other Christchurch winners included Villa Maria’s Lily Dunne (junior girls’ 400m), Cashmere High’s Pera Gordon (senior girls’ pole vault) and Mairehau High’s Tyler Selvam-Lyne (junior boys’ triple jump).