Ellen adds national titles to haul

Ellen Schaef admits she didn't know quite what to expect when she lined up in the women's 19 years 400m final at the New Zealand track and field championships in Auckland late last month.
The St Matthews Collegiate 17-year-old had drawn the "horrible" outside lane and with little or no knowledge of her rivals tactics pretty much went out the window. Instead it was a case of start fast and go as hard as she could with the hope that she might hang on long enough to at least get amongst the minor medals.
History will show, of course, that Schaef did a lot better than that, leading all the way to win the event in a personal best time of 57.42secs.
"I tried to keep the other runners out of my mind, I didn't really know how close they were to me at any stage," Schaef said.
Two more medals were to come Scahef's way at the Auckland meet as well. She was a vital part of the Wellington centre team which won the women's 19 years 4 by 400m relay and was also in their squad which placed fourth in the four by 100m relay in the same age group.
Even a quick look at Schaef's athletics curriculum vitae in recent weeks though would suggest that winning three medals in such esteemed company should not, in fact, have been any great surprise.
Her trophy haul at the St Matthew's College school sports last month highlighted her versatility on the track. She won the Dale McLachlan Cup (senior 100m), McGregor Cup (open 400m in record time), Jennifer Breukers Cup (open 800m), Cameron Family Cup (most points for 16yrs plus age group), Borland Cup (3000m champion) A.C.Major Cup (senior overall champion) and another cup the name of which is not known for winning the open 200m in record time.
At the Wairarapa inter-collegiate meet she won the senior girls 200m, was second in the senior girls 100m and a member of the winning senior girls 4 by 100m relay team, at the Wellington regional secondary schools meet she was second in both the senior 100m and 200m and a member of the winning senior 4 by 100m relay team and at the New Zealand secondary schools championships she was seventh in the senior girls 400m.
Buoyed by her impressive list of successes Schaef admits to becoming somewhat more ambitious in targeting future assignments.
For instance she is keen to push hard for selection in the New Zealand team to contest the world youth track and field championships in India in July and on a slightly longer term basis the Commonwealth Games is on the hit list as well.