Promising Southland athletes selected for Oceania Athletics Championships – Stuff.co.nz

LANCE SMITH

Last updated11:51, April 23 2017

ATHLETICS SOUTHLAND

National championship triple jump gold medallists Atipa Mabonga and Andrew Allan have been selected to represent New Zealand at the Oceania Athletics Championships.

The announcement of the 55-strong New Zealand team to the Oceania Athletics Championships in Suva, has added five new names to the long list of Southlanders athletes to have represented New Zealand.

International debutantes Andrea McDowell, Emma Ryan, Andrew Allan, Anton Schroder and Hannah Miller join Liam Turner in his second Oceania team and Atipa Mabonga who will be contesting her third Oceania championship at Suva.

For all except Miller, selection came from strong showings at New Zealand champs with all six picking up medals in their events, including gold for Mabonga, Schroder and Allan.

McDowell consolidated her selection with the bronze medal at the national combined events championship.

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Miller's situation is slightly different.

The US based runner gained the selector's nod by achieving a performance standard, which she did in the 1500m and 5000m.

The Texas-based SMU student and Gore club member has also been named in the New Zealand team to the World University Games in Taipei a month after the Oceania champs.

For Miller, Suva will provide invaluable international experience prior to stepping up to the even higher level of a world championship.

All Southlanders heading to Suva are among the best in New Zealand, but representing New Zealand in another country against athletes you have never heard of is a whole new ball game.

The ability to step up, along withpast performances, are among selectors' considerations when choosing the team.

The Oceania championships, with teams from 20 countries including Australia. Samoa, Fiji, Tahiti and Rarotonga, are usually the first overseas international experience for young athletes and are a stepping-stone to even higher levels for seniors.

In Suva, McDowell will contest the W20 heptathlon, Allan the M18 triple and long jumps, Mabongathe W20 triple and long, Ryan the W20 hammer and shot, Schroder the M20 javelin and Turner the M20 800m and Miller the senior 1500m and 5000m.

The seven selected indicates the depth of athletic talent in the region, with Southland clubs providing well over 10 per cent of the New Zealand team yet having nowhere near 10 per cent of the country's up and coming teenage athletes.

Competition is at the ANZ Stadium, Suva from June 28 to July 1st, while the World University competition for Hannah Miller is from August 19 to 30.

-Stuff

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Promising Southland athletes selected for Oceania Athletics Championships - Stuff.co.nz