Fast four lap up gold

BY MELANIE VERRAN

When four young running champs join forces the result is a mighty fast relay team. And a whole lot of fun.

Representing the Eastern Athletics Club, James Uhlenberg, Tim Heslin, Fraser Hamilton and Fraser McKinlay, all 10, have won three golds and two silvers in various events over summer.

At the North Island Colgate Games at Mt Smart Stadium last month, they beat teams from around the country in the 4 x 100-metre relay.

The boys say their latest gold as a group was "exciting".

"We just always want to win," James says.

They attend different schools where they are all the 400m, 800m and cross country champions.

The boys became friends through the athletics club.

Fraser McKinlay is the fastest of them all and he runs the final sprint home in the relay team.

He has just made the transition from Parnell School to ACG Parnell College.

He won gold at the Auckland junior 1500m champs in December and broke a club record.

On his tail was James, who won silver and also broke the record.

Known as a chatterbox, the St Ignatius School student also won the eastern zone year 5 cross country last year, with Tim, from St Thomas’s School in Kohimarama, following in second place.

Fraser Hamilton, who his mates reckon is the cheeky one, goes to Saint Kentigern School in Remuera and came second in the central zone cross country.

Both Frasers and James were selected for a team that competed against a visiting New South Wales side at Waitakere Stadium on January 17.

The boys were split into two relay teams, with the two Frasers’ team winning a silver medal and James’ team taking out a bronze.

The kids are now looking forward to competing at the Counties Manukau junior championships on February 20 and at the
Auckland champs in March.

James’ mum Judith, who manages their age group at the club, says the boys are hard to beat.

"When they’re in a team, they’re very, very good," she says.

- © Fairfax NZ News