To progress to state, competitors had to finish in the top three placings in their respective events.

Ten-year-old Matthew Williams led the charge finishing 2nd in the 1500m event in 5.25.7, lowering his previous best time for the distance by 22 seconds.

Matthew backed up the next day running 2nd again, this time in the 800m event in 2.44.4, a fraction outside his best. In both events Matthew led but was caught in the final few metres.

Running in the u/12 girls category, Kayley Alsford qualified 2nd in the first 400m heat lowering her previous best by 2 seconds. In what was a very tough 400m final, she again ran a personal best finishing third in 1.08.6.

Early on the first day of competition, Mitchell Markham showed glimpses of form in the 15yrs 1500m event, he finished in the personal best time of 5.04.2. This was a sign of things to come, Mitchell backed up in the afternoon in the 3000m, he finished 3rd in the very good time of 11.16.7. Following what has already been a wonderful start in 2009 for him at the Trans Tasman Championships, Carl Williams controlled the 1500m finishing 1st in the time of 5.05.4, a few seconds outside his best. He was never headed from the time the gun went.

The next day, with a bruised knee as a result of a minor accident, he had to pull out of the triple jump. He bravely faced the starter in the 800m event and ran a very courageous race storming home into 2nd place in the same time as the winner and just outside his best.

The unlucky one to miss out on a place at the State Championships was Shannon Markham. Competing in the long jump on Saturday, she was never comfortable. Her performance of 3m74 was a far cry from the 4m08 she achieved at the Zones Championships. Shannon came out fighting in the high jump the next day, she put up a great performance and jumped a personal best of 1m30 finishing in 5th place.

Matthew, Kayley, Mitchell and Carl will be very competitive at the State Championships. Shannon shows a lot of promise and will continue to do well.