Hogg star of impressive Southland effort at national athletics champs
Trent Hogg was the star of the small Southland team at the weekend’s national T & F championships.
Hogg consolidated his claim of being one of the country’s most promising up and coming throwers by finishing the championships with two U20 silver medals and a Southland record. The record came in the discus with a 46.42 throw, comfortably exceeding the Southland M18 standard of 45m. In the shot put he again took silver with 15.17, a distance than took him from third to silver l on his last throw. He already holds the Southland record for the shot.
Quinn Hartley joined Hogg as a double medal winner. A pulled hamstring 2 weeks ago hampered his performances, so to get third in the high jump and second in the long jump were excellent results. Admittedly his 1.97 and 6.67 respectively were way down on his best, but they indicate a champion attitude in injury affected circumstances.
Top Southland junior athletes, from left, Quinn Hartley, Tessa Baird and Trent Hogg.
A Southland record went to James McLeay who took 15 seconds off the Boys 15 mark in placing third in the U18 2000m steeplechase. His 6:17.47 puts the 15-year-old third on the national rankings. The two ahead of him will be up a grade next year while James will still be U18. His 1500 time of 4:06.39 just missed the Southland Boys 15 record held by Eddie Crowe by less than a second. Crowe’s record has lasted 33 years. Will it last the season out? No promises, but in the right race it could go.
Tessa Baird jumped a lifetime best in the U20 triple jump with 11.02, her first time over 11 metres. This missed gold by a mere 2cm with the event won by ex-Southland athlete (now Otago) Bernice Cullen. Baird came close again in the long jump, recording 4.97 for fourth, only 5cm off the bronze medal mark.
William Robertson rounded out the Southland medals with bronze and a PB in the triple jump with 12.56. He also PB-ed in the long jump, leaping 5.32 for fifth.
National championships are not all about medals however. Anyone who can lift themselves to personal bests in the most important competition of the season can say they have achieved. Carly Scherp at just 14 for example, who PB-ed in the shot and discus or Ethan Friend and Jude Deaker in the 800m will be better for the experience in years ahead.
As will all the youngsters in the Southland team
