Athletes vying for a spot on team

In between exams, local secondary school athletes are taking to the track and field to impress athletics selectors for a spot on the team that will travel to the New Zealand Secondary Schools Athletics Championships in December.

Already confirmed on the team are Tereora College sportsman and sportswoman of the year Daniel Tutai and Patricia Taea.Tutai will compete in the throws events and Taea will line up on the 100m tracks at the athletics championships in Wellington.

Also on the confirmed list of athletes is 17-year-old Jolyn Iro of Tereora College.The young shot put athlete is being tipped to become the Pacific Valerie Adams and during training on Wednesday with coach Siniva Marsters Iro threw a personal best putting her 4kg shot put to 11.40 metres.

During the recent Tereora College athletics day the talented teen smashed the standing record for her age group of 10.99m with a throw of 11.22m.

In September, Iro finished fifth in the Commonwealth Youth Games shot put (10.98m) in the Isle of Man in September.

That throw combined with her recent record breaking effort and new personal best has boosted Iros confidence and she believes she will do well in New Zealand.

A handful of other talented secondary school athletes joined masters athletes at the BCI Stadium on Wednesday to show off their skills in the hope of being selected to be part of the secondary schools team.

On the tracks 2009 Mini Games national sprinter Harry Ivaiti Jnr, all round junior sportswoman Teiti Tupuna, Aitutaki runner Ruruia David and Luke Akanoa lined up for the 100m sprint race.

Also in the mix for the long distance run event and pounding the synthetic track on Wednesday was Beatrice Rongo who is also gunning for a spot in the team to represent the Cooks in December.

Athletics coach John Teiti says they hope to finalise the full team to New Zealand later this month and in the meantime athletes vying for a spot in the team will continue to work on improving their performance at weekly meets at the BCI Stadium tracks.