Wairarapa athletes make NZ squad

Four Wairarapa athletes will be in the New Zealand development squad track and field team which will compete in the Down Under international meet to be held on Australia's Gold Coast from July 4 to 6.
Sprinters Michael Wilson, 19, William Simpson, 16, and April Campbell, 14, will be joined by field eventer Courtnay Fafeita, 15, in battle against opposition from Australia, Pacific Islands and the United States.
Their programmes have not been finalised but indications are that Wilson and Simpson will race over 100m and 200m, Campbell over 100m and 200m on the flat and 90m over hurdles while Faifeta will be in the discus and shot put, and perhaps even the hammer throw.
Wilson, Simpson and Campbell are all coached by Masterton's Mark Harris who sees their selection as being just reward for consistent performances over the past 12 months
"They are all in the top tier of their age groups and this is a huge chance for them to develop their potential," he said. "It also shows they are being noticed by the heirachy and that's all very positive for them."'
Harris said Wilson, Simpson and Campbell would be focussing mostly on speed work over the next few weeks and in the absence of all all-weather track here much of their training would be done on the artificial surface at Wairarapa College.
"Sprinters need firm footing and that means the grass can be a problem at this time of the year," he said. "You don't want them slipping around, if the grass is wet it becomes an injury concern and noone wants to risk that"
Faifeta ,who is coached by John Quinn of Carterton, is actually ranked the sixth best female discus thrower over all ages in the country .She won gold medals at this year's national open track and field championships (women's 16yrs grade) and the national secondary schools championships .
Quinn has been "very encouraged" by Fafeita's progress in the two years she has been under his tutelage and believes selection for the world youth track and field championships in Italy next year is well within her scope.
"The attitude and the mindset is all positive and her results show the benefit of that," he said of Faifeita. "There is still plenty of work to do technically and in terms of speed and strength but the potential is enormous, no question of that."