Athletics: Scott Gregory hammers record by 10m

Whangarei Boys' High 15-year-old Scott Gregory, pictured with a shot put, threw the hammer a whopping 53.25m, a new championship record. Photo/Michael Cunningham

Whangarei's Scott Gregory had the judges scrambling at the ASB Northland Secondary Schools' Athletics Championships, nailing a new championship record by more than 10m.

Gregory, 15, threw the open age hammer a whopping 53.25m, which saw judges running to fetch a longer measuring tape.

The Whangarei Boys' High School student, who was a bronze medallist in the 2013 National Championships, was just one of many top performances at the event at ASB Sports Arena.

Kerikeri High School's Imogen Hull, who excels in the classroom as well as on the track, remained unbeaten in the 3000m for a fourth consecutive year - Hull ran a national class time of 10 minutes 54.67 in doing so.

Whangarei Girls' High's Aimee-Leigh Scott showed the ability to perform beyond her years, as possibly the youngest athlete she won the 300m hurdles recording 54.08 seconds. In the process, Scott also recorded the fastest time run by a 12-year-old Northland athlete.

Adding to Scott's outing, she had wins in the junior girls' 70m hurdles and discus - a performance superior to the intermediate and senior winners.

Scott was one of a high performing group of athletes that collected three gold medals at the event.

Outstanding performances were also recorded by Terina Wallace, of Otamatea High School, who was a convincing winner of the 100m with a time of 12.78 seconds - faster than the winners of the intermediate and senior events. Wallace also won the 200m and long jump.

In the intermediate age group, Tauraroa Area School's Luke Glover won both hurdles events and the javelin. Girls' High student Amanda Still was a triple winner on the track, her 800m time of 2 minutes 20.16 being one of the best performances on the day.

In the boys' field events, the most competitive was the high jump with no fewer than seven boys over 1.68m.

One of the seven to spring over 1.68m was Mangakahia Area School's Hayden Heteraka who won the junior boys' event with 1.70m while Rodney College's Emeka Udesike was the senior boys' winner at 1.74m.

Pompallier Catholic College's Chad Whitehead produced another top performance with his 12.35m triple jump win.

The leading performers will represent Northland Secondary Schools at the North Island Secondary Schools Championships, which are to be held in Masterton over April 6-7.