AKSS Athletics: 5 April, 2023.

The Auckland Secondary School Auckland Athletics Championships took place on Wednesday at Waitakere Stadium.
This was a welcome return to a full-day event instead of the format being split over three days as it was last year due to Covid-19 restrictions.
Thirty students represented the School over various track and field events.  Students had qualified through their efforts at the zone meet two weeks ago.
The day proved to be a successful meet for MAGS students with several students finishing in podium places.
Our Year 9 and 10 girls who competed had a successful day.  The junior girls 4 x 100m relay team won gold with a time of 52.81, breaking the school record set in 2021.  The team consisted of Zara Bint, Sienna Todd, Peggy Taylor and Maddie Earley.
Peggy Taylor showed her promise as a sprinter finishing 2nd in the 200m and the 300m.
Maddie Earley won the Junior Girls Triple Jump and came 3rd in the long jump.  Sienna Todd came third in the junior girls 100m and shotput.  She broke the school record with a throw of 11.65m.
Kendra Scally-Tui continued her good form making the finals of the intermediate girls 100m and 200m finishing 3rd in both.
Nina Chalmers finished 2nd in the intermediate girls 800m after running a strong last 100m in a close finish with a time of 2:14.75, beating the school record by 5 seconds.  She also finished 2nd in the 400m, also breaking a school record with 59.62.
Taya Lewis showed her promise as a thrower, finishing 2nd in the Senior Girls Javelin, 3rd in the discus, and narrowly missed a medal in the shotput.  Anika Todd finished second in the Senior Girls High Jump and finished 4th in the Javelin.
The Junior Boys 4 x 100m relay finished 3rd.  The team consisted of Jarno Andrewes, Nate Meikle, Lafaele Mikaele and James Wenceslao.
Benjie Fairclough finished 3rd in a competitive 300m hurdles.  Elliot Kitchener came 2nd in a fast 100m Senior Boys final where the winner set a meet record.  Sam Carryer competed in the steeplechase and finished a credible 3rd in an event that he does not normally run.
Kingston Pupuke-Robati and Jirah Esekia finished 1st and 2nd respectively in the Intermediate Boys Shotput.  Dimitri Fruean narrowly missed out on a MAGS clean sweep by 1 cm.
Assistant Director of Sport Mr Crossan said, “A big thanks to Mr Dempster, who assisted with marshalling on the day.  Thanks to Maihi Wilcox and Kianni Hooker who assisted with the starting blocks.  Thanks to all the parents who transported and supported our students throughout the day.”