More than 400 students raced through Waipuna Park in Welcome Bay, Tauranga, on Sunday 6 September, for the cross country event at the Zespri AIMS Games. Many of the Year 7 and 8 runners had spent weeks training to get ready for the big day.
Runners had great conditions for the 3km course, with organisers calling the overcast weather a “perfect start” to the day.
Johnson Li, from Newlands Intermediate, posted the fastest time of the day, winning the Year 8 Boys race in 10:00.67. Cruz Champness, from Aquinas College, took out the Year 7 Boys title in 10:35.03.
In the girls’ races, Scarlett Nelson, from Te Kamo Intermediate, won the Year 7 event in 10:46.32, while Lucie Thomson, from Paraparaumu Beach School, claimed the Year 8 title in 10:56.76.
There was also an 800m race for Year 7 and 8 students with disabilities, giving every runner a chance to compete and aim for a personal best. Mercedes Whittaker, from Te Puke Intermediate, and Robert Hunt, from Scots College, won the girls’ and boys’ races.
Schools also competed for Team Honours, based on the combined placings of their fastest three runners. Aquinas College won the Year 7 Girls title, Hutt International Boys’ School took out the Year 7 Boys crown, Raroa Normal Intermediate claimed Year 8 Girls, and Te Kamo Intermediate won Year 8 Boys.
In the relay events, Belmont Intermediate won the 12km Championship Relay in 41:20.95, just ahead of Newlands Intermediate. Halcombe School was fastest in the 6km Open Relay, crossing the line in 20:24.22.
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