Athletics: Mixed day for NZ at Worlds

North Shore's Frazer Wickes qualified for the 400m semifinals at the world youth athletics championships in Sudtirol, Italy, yesterday (NZT).

Wickes was second in his heat on day one of the championships.

In completed events, Hamilton's Julia Ratcliffe finished 10th in the hammer throw with a mark of 51.62m, well below her personal best of 54.36.

North Shore's Kerry Charlesworth qualified for the pole vault final with a clearance of 3.85m.

High jumper Nicholas Gerrard, from North Shore, chalked up a personal best of 2.00m but was eliminated, along with Hawera's Daniel Fake, who cleared 1.95m.

Also failing to advance were hammer thrower Ryan Tinkle with a throw of 61.59m and 1500m runner Nathan Barrett, who finished eighth in his heat in three minutes 56.39 seconds.

They were joined on the sidelines by long jumper James Hutchens, Joseph Millar, who was disqualified in the 100m, Tinkle and Thomas Walsh in the discus, Esther Keown, who was eighth in a women's 1500m heat, Emma Sutherland in the high jump, and Philippa Symes, sixth in her 100m hurdles heat.

- NZPA