Speedster hauls golds on track

Gisborne track sensation Tom Smith made his local grandfather John McElhinney one of the proudest men over the festive season.

The 14-year-old smashed his personal best three times on the way to winning silver at the New Zealand Secondary Schools Track and Field Championships in Hastings in December.

He defeated runners two years older to place second in the junior boys 200m then topped off his meet with gold in the 4x100m and 4x400m relays with his St Paul’s Collegiate team.

Smith clocked 22.80 seconds in the final after winning his heat and semifinal which made him the fastest 14-year-old in New Zealand over the distance.

After a year of focusing on the 100m, Tom gave it away and took up the 400m instead. He has already clocked an impressive PB of 52.20.

Tom’s successes have not been isolated to the athletic track.

After switching codes from football to rugby, Tom was part of the St Paul’s under 14 rugby team who won their regional competition.

He also made the Waikato under 14 representative team, predictably as a winger.

He was named junior sportsman of the year and most promising third former at his school’s end-of-year prize giving.

Last weekend, Smith went on to win all his races at the Golgate Games in Hastings earlier this month making his granddad grin wider.

This included winning a last minute 100m sprint to take gold, adding that to his other gold medals won in the same weekend during the 400m and 200m races.

With the track races over for now, Smith now concentrates on getting his Bronze medal for Surf Life saving at the Gisborne Wainui Surf Club who are shouting him to Christchurch next month to compete at the New Zealand nationals where he is sure to achieve his goals and keep his granddad beaming with pride.