Northlanders head south for games

UP AND COMING: Team Athletics Whangarei at the opening ceremony of the North Island Colgate Games, which were held in Whangarei last year. PHOTO/FILE

Forty-four young athletes from Northland are among more than 8700 entries from across the country for track and field events at this month's Colgate Games.

The North Island leg of the games were being held in Wellington yesterday and today, and the South Island leg will be held next week in Dunedin.

Organisers confirmed 40 athletes from Northland would compete in Wellington and a further four in Dunedin.

For the North Island meet, Athletics Whangarei was sending 18 competitors, Wellsford Athletics Club 10, while four each from the Kerikeri Striders, Kaitaia and Hokianga athletics' clubs were competing.

Three from Athletics Whangarei and one from Kerikeri have entered the South Island Games.

Organisers have received a record-breaking number of entries for the South Island Games - more than 4000.

Patron and Athletics Whangarei head coach Ian Babe said cost was a major factor in sending competitors to events outside Northland.

"Sometimes clubs try to help out but it's pretty hard," he said.

"Many that enter are family -type people that also take the opportunity to visit family and friends.

"But Colgate Games is seen as a starting area to develop some of the fine athletes and we've got some promising ones up here that are taking part this year."

Mr Babe said 12 to 13-year-olds in field events would be the ones to watch.

Last year 181 athletes from Northland and more than 1054 from throughout the country took part in the North Island Colgate Games hosted by Whangarei.

IAAF World Indoor Championships Bronze medallist and 2014 Commonwealth Games silver medallist Tom Walsh, was to be the ambassador for this year's games, encouraging and inspiring young athletes to challenge themselves and do the best they could.

This year's Colgate Games involve more than 2000 athletes from 108 athletics clubs across New Zealand at the two events in Wellington and Dunedin, with the Nick Willis Scholarship being the ultimate prize.

The scholarship is awarded to athletes who perform outstandingly throughout the Colgate Games events. It gives recipients funds to put toward sports gear, coaching, travel and other resources to help them with their athletics goals.