Boys' High break long standing record

Palmerston North Boys’ High School junior boy’s 4x100 metre relay team achieved something no other team had achieved since 1976, when they broke a long standing record at the Manawatu Inter Secondary School Athletics Championships on Saturday March 19 2011.

The original record of 48.50 seconds held by the Palmerston North Boys’ High School team of D Stirling, C Wickes, G Kelly, N Kingi tumbled at the Manawatu Community Athletics Track with the Boys’ High juniors team of Thomas Brookie, Damien Wilson, Isaac Harris and Sam Kearins crossing the line with a time of 47.53 seconds breaking the previous record by almost a whole second.

Several other records fell on the day with joint winners of the Albert Pootjes Trophy; Stephanie Dickins (Feilding High School) and Chelsea Monks (Nga Tawa), claiming at least one record each.

A total of seven new records were set:

• Junior Girls 1500m: Kara MacDermid (Awatapu College) 4:42.10sec
• Junior Girls High Jump: Chelsea Monks (Nga Tawa) 1.56m
• Intermediate Girls 400m: Stephanie Dickins (Feilding High School) 58.29sec
• Open Girls Hurdles 300m: Stephanie Dickins (Feilding High School) 44.7sec
• Junior Boys 4x100m Relay: (Palmerston North Boys’ High School) 47.53sec
• Intermediate Boys 3000m: Jake Jackson-Grammer (Palmerston North Boys’ High School) 9:44.16sec
• Senior Boys Javelin: Ben Langton Burnell (Palmerston North Boys High School) 62.42m

The inclusion of four new Athletes with Disabilities events drew large numbers of athletes to the track as. “It’s great to see these athletes being given a greater variety of events to compete in and certainly shows there are a number of opportunities available to Athletes with Disabilities in the Manawatu,” says Ben Koch, Sport Manawatu’s secondary school sports advisor.

“Special thanks must go to the host school Queen Elizabeth College and meeting manager
Jenna Reiri as well as Alan Adamson and the team of Palmerston North Athletics and
Harrier Club key officials who dedicated a lot of time to the event and its success, says Mr Koch.

The success of the event could not have been achieved without the support of a number
of local organisations: Palmerston North City Council, Massey University, Red Cross,
Cancer Society and Konica Minolta.

For a complete list of results from the day please visit sportmanawatu.org.nz