Athletics success for Waiouru youngster

Ruapehu Bulletin, Volume 14, Issue 669, 14 January 1997, Page 6

Athletics success for Waiouru youngster

Avery busy summer holiday has been also a great success for Waiouru's Mandy Vine, who competed at the Colgate Games in Christchurch earlier this month, with the help of some local generosity. The athletic games were held at the QEII Stadium from 46 January and attracted over 1400 competitors aged from 7 to 14 years. Mandy, 9, was placed first in the 100m, long jump and the 4 x 100m relay. She gained second placings in the 60m I and 200m sprints and also a third in the 12 year olds medley relay (2 x 100m; 1 x 200m, 1 x 400m and 1 x 800m legs). This is while she is still at an age where the entire athletic programme is not open to her. She is still unable to compete in her favorites, the longer middle distance races (800m and 1500m) and several of the field events until next season. " Mandy is trained under the watchful eye of John Murrihy of Taumarumui and has to travel to the town each week for club meetings and is now training to qualify for the Waikato Championships to be held in February. Both Mandy and her family spent several months prior to the Christchurch trip fund raising and thanked the

Waiouru RSA Club who donated $500 cash, Waiouru' s Canteen Services Store who provided both Mandy and Mrs Vine with tracksuits, Maggie Allen's Cafe who bought a new pair of running shoes for Mandy and also the Pitt Stop Disco, Westpac Waiouru and the Oasis Hotel for their assistance with other fundraising events.