Colgate Games continues in good spirits despite downpours

Gus Neilson, from Hutt Valley High School, attempts the long jump. Photo / Bevan Conley

The skies opened up and saturated competitors on the opening day of the Colgate Games at Cooks Gardens in Whanganui.

There were more than a thousand registered competitors - largely from the North Island - at the children’s sporting event that runs until Sunday.

Add to them the hundreds of families and friends in support and Cooks Gardens was a hive of activity that continued through the rain that arrived in the afternoon on Friday.

Elyse Tye, 9, Jasmin Morris, 10, and Emily Williams, 9, all from Lower Hutt’s Boulcott School were having a great time on Friday afternoon, while they waited for their next events alongside their caregivers in the stands.

Emily Williams, 9, Elyse Tye, 9, and Jasmin Morris, 10, all from Boulcott School, were having fun on their trip to Whanganui. Photo / Bevan Conley

“Today I have done shot put, and I’m about to do 200 metres (sprint) and we have to go over soon,” Elyse said. She had come second in her group for the shot put.

“It was a good shot put ... but it wasn’t really a good day for it today,” she said.

Emily said she also came second in her group in the shot put.

“Athletics is the best,” Emily said.

Jasmin was yet to compete. She was set to do the 800m, long jump, 400m and 1500m events.

“Nervous, and excited. That sort of in-between feeling.”

They said Whanganui was a fun and very cool place to visit.

“I like the beach. I’m by the sandy beach with the black sand,” Emily said.

Athletics NZ chief executive Peter Pfitzinger said feedback was largely good from parents and competitors about how it has been coming to Whanganui for the Colgate Games.

“The venue’s brilliant. Rain or shine, whatever it is, it’s a great place to come.”

He said Cooks Gardens was an inspiring venue.

“The connection with Sir Peter Snell, but the connection with the sport of athletics. It’s a place in our minds, of athletics, so we always love coming here.”

He was happy with the numbers of competitors and to be able to hold a major event without restrictions.

“We’re so pleased we don’t have to deal with Covid restrictions. Last year we had vaccine passes and all that.”

Pfitzinger said it was great to see how the different aged children approached the event.

Athletics NZ chief executive Peter Pfitzinger. Photo / Bevan Conley

“The 7-year-olds are so excited and it’s their first one. They often ... don’t know what they’re doing but they get sort of herded to their next event and they kind of learn as they’re going.

“The 12, 13, 14-year-olds are veterans and they’ve done it many times and they know just what they’re doing. So that’s kind of cool. It covers a broad age range as well.”

He said the Colgate Games were an important foundation for young people to have a good experience trying out athletics.

They purposely split the North Island and South Island events so the event wasn’t seen as a competitive national championship.

“We don’t want to over-emphasise that [competitive] element too much, too early.”'

Athletics also proved to be a great pathway for all sports, Pfitzinger said.

“There’s many All Blacks and Black Ferns and all the different football codes, other sports that New Zealand does so well in ... those kids come through the Colgate Games. We’re very proud of that.”

There were some finals on Friday but most events were preliminaries for most of the finals on Sunday.