Rathkeale athletics records shattered

Taking the tape is Max Spencer, middle and long distance New Zealand representative runner from Rathkeale College, who broke three records while running for Halberg House. PHOTO/MARSHALL PITNEY

A corps of elite young athletes at Rathkeale College have shattered records, some of which had stood for decades, at the latest sports meeting at the school.

College spokesman Grant Harper said that, despite searing temperatures last Friday, competitors wore their house colours with pride and "were in a competitive mood" at the annual athletics day, which was defined by several record-breaking performances.

New Zealand representative high jumper Gerard Hickey, sporting Blake House colours, shattered a Rathkeale College record that had stood for more than 30 years. PHOTO/MARSHALL PITNEY

"Athletics coaches David Knox and John Quinn have, over the past months, worked hard with a select group of athletes who are now competing at a national level and whose prowess was apparent on the day," Mr Grant said.

The contest for the under-16 high jump had set the pace for the day, he said, when Gerard Hickey broke Hamish Dodds' 1985 record with a new height of 1.80m.

Max Spencer's Under-16 800m time of 2m 01.10s bettered William Prior's 2007 record by 9.40s. Spencer also broke Tom Quinn's 2011 Under-16 400m record of 53.43 seconds in a time of 53.01 seconds, and set a new record time for the 1500m at 4.14 seconds.

Mitchell Cockburn set a new record time for the Under-16 100 metres when he broke Steven Potts' 1970 record with a new time of 11.39s.

Records had been shattered throughout the meeting and Hillary House athletes emerged as the victors once scores were tallied at 3pm.

Individual winners on the day included Jayden Webb Milner as Under-14 champion, Oliver Donaldson, Spencer and Cockburn as U16 champions, and Anthony Sprowson as senior champion.

The stage was now set for Rathkeale College representative athletes to take their marks at the Wairarapa Inter-collegiate Athletics meeting on March 10, Mr Harper said.

He said Spencer and Hickey will also travel with the New Zealand Youth Team to the Oceania Track and Field champs in Tahiti in late April.