Wairarapa throwers keep flag flying high

Versatile field event exponent Alex Fafeita was a star performer for Wairarapa at the Cooks Classic athletics meet held in Wanganui on Tuesday evening.
Fafeita was best of his men's 16yrs age group in the hammer throw with a throw of 37.16m, second in the discus with 44.57m, third in the javelin with 45.24m and third in the shot put with 11.87m. His discus javelin distances were both personal bests.
Sister Courtnay Fafeita was also in good touch. Of those in the women's 16yrs age group she was first in the hammer throw (36.25m), third in the discus (37.28m) and third in the shot put (9.38m).
Tim Girling-McLean threw a pb in the discus (30.25m) and his 12.83m in the shot put placed him as the number one in his age group.
On the track there were quality performances from several Wairarapa competitors, including sprinters April Campbell, Laura McKenna and Michael Wilson.
Campbell and McKenna were second and third-fastest women's 16yrs entrants over 100m with times of 12.91secs and 12.92secs respectively and they combined to finish third in the senior women's 2 by 100m relay with a time of 25.11secs. Campbell, whose 100m time was a pb, was also third fastest in her age group for the 100m hurdles, clocking 16.01secs there.
Wilson continued to show he is among the elite male 100m runners in the country by placing fourth in the senior men's event in 10.96secs. He and William Simpson combined in the 2 by 100m relay and were third in 21.36secs.
The full list of Wairarapa age group placings is:-
Laura McKenna (W16): Third in 100m in 12.92secs.
April Campbell (W16): Second in 100m in 12.91secs, third in 100m hurdles in 16.01secs.
Michael Wilson (SM): Fourth in 100m in 10.96secs.
William Simpson (M19): Fifth in 100m in 11.52secs.
Cameron Sinclair (M19): Seventh in 100m in 11.96secs.
Vicki Paine (W19): Second in 400m in 58.51secs.
Molly Creagh (W16): Fourth in 400m in 60.22secs.
Stevie Paine (W16): Fifth in 400m in 60.94secs.
Ellen Schaef (W19):Fifth in 400m in 61.07secs.
Tom Quinn (M16): Second in 400m in 59.03secs.
Kurtis Paine (M16): Third in 400m in 60.14secs.
Bevan Brown (M16): Fourth in 400m in 63secs.
Courtnay Fafeita (W16): Third in shot put with 9.38m, third in the discus with 37.28m, and first in the hammer with 36.25m.
Maria Taylor (W16): Fourth in the shot put with 7.56m, fourth in the discus with 27.80m and third in the hammer with 21.83m.
Tim Girling-McLean (M16): First in the shot put with 12.83m, fourth in the discus with 30.25m and third in the hammer with 24.57m.
Alex Fafeita (M16): Third in the shot put with 11.87m, second in the discus with 44.57m, third in the javelin with 45.24m and first in the hammer with 37.16m.
Several of the Wairarapa athletes also took part in the Young Olympians course at Wanganui over last weekend with the highlight there being the intensive individual coaching given rookie thrower Maria Taylor by one of the world's best in the discus, Beatrice Faumuina.