Athletes in action

Five Marlborough athletes represented Tasman with distinction at the recent NZ Track & Field Champs at Newton Park in Wellington.

Ryleigh Gale, Isla Tilbury, Dale (DJ) Arbuckle, James Hansen and Remy Le Brun took on the country’s best and came away with several top results and some precious metal.

Hansen won the gold medal in the under 20 men’s 400m hurdles and set a new personal best time in the under-20 men’s 400m.

Gale secured the bronze medal in the under-16 women’s 300m hurdles, also recording a PB.

Tilbury came away with two PBs in the under 18 women’s 800m.

Marlborough results from NZ champs from March 14-17

Ryleigh Gale (under 16 women): 300m hurdles - 3rd (49.79sec); 80m hurdles - 7th (12.85sec).

Isla Tilbury (under 18 women): 800m - 6th (2.13.97min); 400m - 7th (59.09sec).

DJ Arbuckle (under 20 men/senior men): Under 20 men’s high jump - 6th (1.93m); senior men’s high jump - 9th (1.91m).

James Hansen (under 20 men): 400m hurdles - 1st (54.33sec); 400m - 4th (49.32sec); 110m hurdles - 4th (15.32sec).

Remy le Brun (senior men): 100m - 17th (11.57sec).

Hansen also competed in the Sir Graeme Douglas International Meet held in Auckland on March 10 where he took part in the men’s 400 metres hurdles.

He recorded a time of 54.18 seconds to finish fourth and set a new Tasman record. The previous record 54.79 seconds was set back in 1982.

Japanese athlete Takayuki Kishimoto finished first overall setting a new meet record of 50.96 seconds. Runner-up Hiroya Kawagoe also dipped under the old meet record.