Robinson aims to bow out with double gold

JILL McKEE/Southland Times

GOING FOR IT: Matthew Robinson has the best 400m time of all entrants at this year's New Zealand Secondary School Championships.

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Matthew Robinson is aiming to cap off his secondary school sporting career with two gold medals at the New Zealand Secondary School Championships this coming weekend in Timaru.

The Southland Boys' High School year 13 athlete has a brilliant record in schools competition, winning the senior 400m last year and the year before, the junior title in 2006 and placing second in 2005, in year 9, behind fellow Boys' High runner Brandon Spencer. Robinson has the best 400m time of all entrants so a third senior title and fourth consecutive championship is on the cards, although he can expect tough competition from Scott Burch (third last year), of Awatapu College, and Ashton Tuck, of Napier Boys' High.

Robinson also won the triple jump last year and is entered in this event again. His 14.51m leap at the New Zealand championships in Wellington last season (where he also won the M19 400m title) is the year's best triple jump by any New Zealander so another double gold cannot be discounted

Greer Alsop, second last year in the junior girls triple and long jumps, is a medal prospect in both events. The 15-year-old triple jumped 11.45m at Surrey Park on Saturday, adding 5cm to her own Southland W16 to senior women's record and had a 5.36m long jump competing in Dunedin the previous week. If the SGHS athlete repeated these distances she should be among the medals again.

Eroni Sotutu's recent performances would have placed him in the top three or four at last year's championships in both the triple and long jumps. While this is his first major championship, the James Hargest College 15-year-old has the talent to succeed at national and perhaps international level.

Charlotte Muschamp (SGHS) is Southland's best chance in the senior triple jump. An 11.38m triple on Saturday has her among the favourites while a recent 1.70m high jump ranks her among the top in that event too. She can expect strong competition from training mate Savannah Bruin of Central Southland College.

Bruin has a best of 1.69 and should feature in the top placings. Elton Metternich, also CSC, has the second-best clearance of those entered in the junior boys high jump, just 2cm down on top-ranked Luke Davision, of Tauranga's Bethlehem College.

Southland has medal chances in the senior boys' 800m and open girls' steeplechase. Glen Ballam was second last year in the 800m after losing a shoe just 200m into the race. He will, however, have a battle royal with Brad Mathas from Cullinane College, Wellington. Glen's best so far this season is 1:55.26; Brad's is 1:55.23.

Christina Taylor has the best 2000m steeplechase time of those entered and holds the W16 New Zealand record but Caroline Melsop, of Wanganui, and Greta Porter, of Hastings, are close behind in the rankings.

Chad Butson (SBHS) could also be in the 400m mix, while Deejay Kennedy (JHC) has a good chance of being in the 200m final.

William Hubber (CSC) is Southland's best thrower and is entered in the shot, discus and hammer. The hammer title is expected to be fought out between Hubber and Wellington College's Ryan Tinkle.

The Peeters sisters of St Peter's College, Gore, should feature in the javelin with Stacey among the favourites in the senior girls and Tori in the junior girls.

- © Fairfax NZ News

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