Olympic coach salutes capital's 10 gold medals

Graham Tattersall, who served as New Zealand coach at the Beijing Olympics, has rated Wellington's medal haul at the New Zealand Secondary Schools' athletics championships as the best in years.

Athletes from schools in Kapiti, Otaki, Wellington and Wairarapa won 10 individual titles in Timaru last weekend, with a further haul of silver and bronze medals.

"We did very well. For most colleges there were medals from everywhere," said Tattersall, who was at the schools event as coach of the Scots College team.

Otaki College pupil Keeley O'Hagan was named junior girls athlete of the championships after winning the junior girls' high jump and long jump.

"They select those they consider the most outstanding in the junior and senior grades, and it is a big deal," Tattersall said.

Gold medallists O'Hagan, the St Mary's duo of Leesa Lealai-Salanoa and Susannah Lynch, and junior boys' 1500m champion Kieron McDonald (Scots) are all prospects for the future.

Lealai-Salanoa has a strong throwing tradition to follow in Valerie Vili's gold at the Beijing Olympic Games last year.

Scots College runner Max Biggs was fourth in the senior boys' 800m final, a race that assembled the highest calibre middle-distance field of the championships.

"The depth in that event was national level, not just schools national level," Tattersall said. "It was a terrific series of races through the heats, the semis and the final."

The 800m senior boys' champion, Glen Ballam, of Southland, is favourite for the senior national club championships title.

The annual secondary schools championships are the highlight of the schools calendar and were attended by 1300 athletes.

- © Fairfax NZ News

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