Medals for local athletes at Colgate Games
Seven of the nine athletes who represented the Takaka athletics club at the recent Colgate games. Rear from left: Natalie Nalder, Courtney Clarke, Louise Nalder, Danyon Fleming, Ryley Fleming. Front: Lauren Gardiner and Kyle Gardiner. Photo: Neil Wilson.
The Takaka Athletics club is continuing to produce champions. At the recent Colgate Games in Invercargill, Golden Bay athletes won another good haul of medals. The gold medal winners were Courtney Clarke and Lauren Gardiner.
Courtney won the girls' grade 14 discus with a throw of 33.23 metres, which is now her personal best. She backed up her success in the discus with a bronze medal in the shot put, in which she threw exactly 10 metres, also a personal best.
Lauren is another up-and-coming star, according to club coach Brian Jacobsen. She won the girls' grade 10 400 metres gold medal in a time of 60.83 seconds. She also won a bronze medal in the 800 metres. Lauren competed in the 10 year-olds' grade and celebrated her 11th birthday on the last day of the Colgate Games.
"Lauren has only just started running the longer distances," said Mr Jacobsen. "She's only small but she has plenty of talent and determination. I think we'll see a lot of improvement in her times-she's an exciting prospect."
Louis Davies also won a bronze medal in the boys' grade 10 long jump.
The Colgate Games are New Zealand's age-group athletics championships. They are held each year in the North and South Islands and athletes are allowed to compete in both if they are able to get themselves there. Mr Jacobsen said that the club was well represented by the 9 athletes who made the long trek to Invercargill.
"We're all looking forward to the Hesta Shield, which we're hosting on 15 February," he said. "The Takaka club is areal force in athletics now."
Neil Wilson
