Central Southland year 10 pupil Regan Wilson had a perfect return at the Southland athletic championships, winning all four events he entered.

Wins in the under-14 boys 100 metres, long jump, triple jump and discus were achieved by significant margins.

Wilson said working with coach Lorne Singer had had a dramatic effect on his athletics.

"I started with a coach at the start of last year so I haven't really been in the business for too long. I didn't have any technique or anything and my coach has really helped me out," he said.

Wilson rates the triple jump as his favourite event, no surprise given the distances he's been leaping, but his 100m sprint is also right up there for his age.

No wonder he's also in the college first XV rugby team this year.

What did come as a surprise was Wilson's comfortable win in the discus, an event he hadn't previously concentrated on.

"That came out of nowhere. I just threw it and ended up coming first. I'm starting to pick it up now."

Singer believes Wilson has the all-round talent to go a long way.

"He's obviously always been a good runner and he's just starting to add the jumps and throws to his repertoire. He's looking like he could possibly even be a good decathlete one day," Singer said.

"He's getting quicker and quicker, jumping further and further. He came fourth at New Zealand secondary schools [last year] as a year nine in the junior boys triple jump, which is a pretty remarkable achievement. His 100m was right up there as well. Normally we say to the year nines to just go as a bit of an experience thing but he turned that on its head a bit."

Singer said Wilson's potential in throws was exciting. "He's certainly got the raw power there, he just hasn't had a lot of background with the technique. We are just slowly starting to work on that and it seems to be taking off. I'm expecting big things from him in the discus in the next couple of years as well," he said.

"He's certainly well built, he's got that raw power and he's good on his feet. He's a good learner as well."

- © Fairfax NZ News