Athletics: Young sprinting star moves closer to national records

By MURRAY McKINNON

April Brough continued her rapid rise towards the top of New Zealand women's sprinting when she ran 200m in 24.03s to beat four-times national champion Jane Arnott at Papakura.

Brough, competing for Counties Manukau in the northern region qualifying round of the national athletics league at Massey Park, stepped on the gas over the final 50m to edge ahead of Arnott, who recorded 24.35s.

The 16-year-old national under-18 and secondary schools sprint champion had been keen to race Arnott.

"I peaked for last week's schools champs and the conditions were right for it," she said.

The NZ under-18 and under-20 record for 200m is 23.78s, set 11 years ago by Briar Toop, of Hastings.

Brough, who had a previous best of 24.16s, will race at the Sydney Youth Olympic Festival next month.

Earlier, Arnott won the 400m hurdles in 61.54s.

Chantal Brunner helped Counties-Manukau to a points tally of 773, 11 behind winners Bays Cougars, with wins over 100m (11.9s), long jump (5.94m), 400m (57.49s) and anchoring the 100m relay team.

Tony Pownall narrowly won the 100m hurdles, edging Nick O'Brien in 14.53s.

O'Brien had earlier established a personal best 400m hurdles in 51.28s.

John Henwood laid early claims for a place in the New Zealand team to the world cross-country championships in Dublin in March, winning the 3000m in 8m 5.42s.

National steeplechase champion Phil Costley completed a busy weekend with a commanding win in the 5000m in the final national track and field qualifying league meeting in Christchurch yesterday.

The Kuala Lumpur Commonwealth Games marathon representative won by more than a length of the straight from his nearest challenger in 14m 19.74s. That followed his winning run in the 3000m steeplechase and second placing in the 1500m on Saturday.