College Sport: Gill shreds world best mark with big victory

Joshua Hawkins of Sacred Heart College bettered his New Zealand 110m hurdles record at the New Zealand secondary schools track and field championships. Photo / APN

There is no stopping Jacko Gill.

Already a star both at home and on the international stage, the Takapuna Grammar 15-year-old was again in outstanding form at the national secondary schools championships at the new stadium in Hastings.

The popular and deserved winner of the ASB Young Sportsman of the Year at last month's College Sports awards, Gill added more than half a metre to the previous best world mark for a 17-year-old when he heaved the 5kg shot an amazing 23.86m. It eclipsed the record set by Pole Krzysztof Brzozowski at August's inaugural Youth Olympics by 63cm.

Gill now holds the world record for both the 5kg and 6kg shot in every age group from 14 to 17 years.

Gill said that he knew the record was there after throwing 22m consistently in recent training.

Dominating the event from the start, Gill thrilled the 2000-strong crowd with his all-conquering fifth-round effort but for his rivals around the world he had a word of warning.

"There is still a lot more left," said Gill after beating Albert Nikoro (MAGS) by almost 7m to claim the victory.

He smashed the record set a year ago by Timaru's Tom Walsh by an amazing 3.65m.

On the day on which she announced her retirement, discus queen Beatrice Faumuina saw her long-standing senior record wiped out of the record book by Leesa Lealai-Salanoa (St Mary's College, Wellington) with a winning 52.02m throw - about 60cm further than the record set in 1992 by Faumuina when the championships were last held in Hastings.

While her junior and senior shot put records remained unchallenged, Valerie Adams lost her senior hammer record to Waikato Diocesan's Julia Ratcliffe, who threw a massive 57.47m - more than 3m ahead of the mark set by Adams nine years ago.

Also in the throwing circle, Aorere College 15-year-old Merewarihi Vaka was in sparkling form in retaining her junior shot put and discus titles, claiming the discus record set in 2008 by Lealai-Salanoa.

While the field event competitors were to the fore of the 1400-plus athletes (representing 236 schools), there were some strong efforts on the track.

Brad Mathas (Wanganui Collegiate) ran 1m 51.25s in winning the senior 800m to break that nine-year-old record by 0.34s.

Elsewhere, Joshua Hawkins improved his New Zealand M16 110m hurdles record of 14.19s in winning the senior title in 14.09s.

Joseph Millar collected the senior boys' sprint double in 10.68s and 21.27s.

Millar was under Mark Keddell's long-standing 200m record of 21.40s but the following wind was fractionally over strength. Lauren Wilson won the senior girls double in 12.23s and 24.88s.

Baradene's Portia Bing won the senior 100m hurdles in 14.42s and her favoured long jump with 5.56m. It continued a good year for Bing, who has shown out as one of the country's best heptathletes.

Rebekah Greene won the senior 1500m in 4m 41.92s but was narrowly beaten by Georgie Grgec in the 3000m. Grgec won in 9m 54.86s to Greene's 9m 54.99s.

St Paul's Collegiate (Hamilton) dominated the relays, winning the senior and junior boys 4 x 400m and the junior boys 4 x 100m. Wanganui Collegiate won the junior girls 4 x 100m and 4 x 400m relays.

The athletes of the championships were Gill, Ratcliffe, Lealai-Salanoa, Mathas and Millar.

LAWN BOWLS

A single shot was all that separated the finalists in the girls and boys singles in the finals of the National SS Championships at Dunedin's North East Valley Club yesterday.

The standard of play throughout the three days was outstanding with New Zealand's youngsters showing the future is indeed assured.

Napier Girls High's Tessa Hocking was pushed all the way before getting home 13-12 over Connie Rowlands (Linwood College) in the girls final, which came down to a close measure on the last end.

In the boys singles, Euan Wong (Hutt Valley) pushed Monte Pawa (Kaitaia) out of the match by a single bowl, winning another gripping final 11-10 which went to an extra end after being locked 10-10.

Defending champions Cameron Higgins and Thomas Eminson (Tauranga Boys College) successfully defended their boys pairs title, beating Jordan Linn and Joseph Doyle (Coastal Taranaki School) 9-7 in another keenly contested affair.

Again, there was only a shot in it as Kerry Heffer and Georgia McGee (Southland Girls High School) overcame strong opposition from Katelyn Inch and Brittany Tyson (St Margaret's College) to take a phenomenal 8-7 win in the girls pairs.

Why phenomenal?

Heffer, 16, came out of surgery after cancer treatment only on December 1 - her mind set on victory. The Southland girls, determined to atone for losses to some of the same opponents at last year's championships, called on teamwork, communication and a lot of love for one another to earn the national title.

There were tears from a hopeful Pawa after losing the singles final to Euan Wong. While dominant throughout the match, Wong gave some ground as Pawa clawed his way back to draw level at 10-10 and send the clash to an extra end. Wong calmly rolled a beautiful draw bowl and, try as he might, Pawa just could not get close.

NETBALL

Auckland schools are well represented among the 28 players named by Netball New Zealand for trials in Christchurch next April.

From these trialists, 12 players will be selected to represent New Zealand Secondary Schools in the transtasman tournament, which next year will be played at Te Rauparaha Arena in Porirua.

NZSS coach Helene Wilson is thrilled with the talent on offer.

"I am very excited about the depth and variety of the secondary school trialists chosen from around the country," Wilson said. "With the aim of defending the title, these trialists have all made a commitment to work hard in the coming months in preparation for the trials."

A new team manager has been appointed with Clare Malthus (Otago) joining the management team of Wilson and assistant coach Natalie Avellino.

The trialists are: Tera-Maria Amani, Erikana Pederson, Jaimie-Lee Price, Rebekah Roache (MAGS), Jessica Bourke (Marist College), Aisha Bower (Northcote), Debra Catherwood (Carmel), Alice Eddington (Craighead Diocesan), Sharnee Edmonds, Kendra Falefitu, Phoenix Karaka (AGGS), Elizabeth Ene (Sancta Maria), Temalisi Fakahokatau (WGHS), Kimberley Goodearl (Hutt Valley HS), Huia Harding, Greer Patterson (NPGHS), Sarah Hayman (Rangiora HS), Simone Howe (Opotiki), Brooke Leaver, Renee Te Rini (Tu Toa), Sharnii Lintern (Aotea College), Nadia Loveday (Alfriston), Emma Mayo (St Mary's, Wellington), Tamsin Moala (Sacred Heart, New Plymouth), Mataroa Poi (Lytton HS), Sam Sinclair (John Paul College), Zoe Walker (Waimea College), Brooke Watt (Wellington East GC).

SOFTBALL

From bridesmaids a year ago to victors was the story of division A winners KBHS (boys) and Orewa College (girls) at the popular junior one-day tournament which attracted 23 teams to Rosedale Park for a hectic day's action.

Kelston BHS, with strong pitching backed by solid teamwork, went through the day unbeaten after taking the final 6-0 over MAGS.

Orewa too showed out all day with their excellent fielding and base running to win the title, also without losing a game. They beat runners-up AGGS 4-0 in their penultimate outing and then squared off with Aorere in the final round and got home to claim the win and title.

A number of new schools played in division two. Rangitoto College won the boys title and Pakuranga College the girls.

TOUCH

Unheralded Manurewa stunned all but their closest supporters with their upset win over favourites Papanui in the girls final of the XBlades National SS Tournament in Palmerston North.

Playing their entertaining, expansive style, Manurewa - in the tournament for the first time - ran out popular winners.

Led by Marama Davis and Talisua Tipelu, who will play for the New Zealand under-19 team in next month's transtasman test series in Canberra, the South Aucklanders won plenty of fans.

Refusing to be intimidated by the hotly favoured Papanui team, Manurewa played some fantastic free-flowing touch to break through the well-organised Papanui defence and hold on to win 2-1.

Davis was key to their success in setting up both their tries with lightning-fast stepping and pinpoint delivery to her wingers.

St Peter's School, also at the tournament for the first time, overcame the odds to beat Macleans, who had shown out as the team to beat throughout the tournament.

Macleans refused to ever give up in their chase for an elusive title but once Cambridge-based St Peter's got out to a solid 5-1 lead they were able to hold off strong-finishing Macleans to win 8-6.

The boys grade followed the pre-championship script with Hamilton Boys High again the victors. St Kentigern, their opponents in the final, gave it their all but could not get past the irresistible nature of Hamilton, who were the hungrier team in the end as they ran out 5-3 victors.

With players coming and going each year, Hamilton's hat-trick of titles should be lauded.

Tournament teams.-

Boys: Sonatane Tuakalau (Christchurch BHS), Liston Togia, Joe Webber, Henare Hira-herangi (Hamilton BHS), Otere Black (Hato Paora College), Phoenix Hunapo, Solomona Uitime-Paraki, Rameka Uitime-Paraki (KBHS), Shaquille Stone (Rotorua BHS), Ihaka Watene, William Raea, Jordan Walters, Matthew Sinclair (St Kentigern), Tivoli Guthrie, Robert Sanele (St Peter's College), Jamieson Gibson-Park (Gisborne BHS).

Girls: Shanay Wineti, Janelle Cavanagh, Chelsey Smart (Papanui HS), Wairakau Greig (St Peter's College), Toia Tiwha (Tauranga GH), Stacey Waaka (Whakatane HS), Charlotte Davis, Marama Davis (Manurewa HS), Shiray Tane, Rivay O'Donnell (Hamilton GHS), Ellen Sharland (Nelson GC), Rebecca Roach, Destiny Grace (MAGS), Corinna Whiley (Christchurch GH), Tori Ratima, Freya Newton (FreybergHS).

Mixed: Desmond Spooner, Charlotte Gibbs (Howick), Chris Swain, Nick Smith, Sam Busbridge, Darren Wilson, Jess Martin (Macleans), Carlos Hotene (Mangere), Joseph Hall (Queen Elizabeth College), Richie Mo'unga (St Andrew's), Wharenui Hawera, Brittany Coates (St Peter's School), Katarina Hiku, Madison Bartlett (Northcote), Kristina Simeona (Taupo-nui-a-Tia College), Ngarui Taurua (Lincoln HS).

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