Felix McDonald has been crowned the men’s senior national champion after jumping a personal best of 7.65m at the national track and field championships at Newtown Park in Wellington last night.
He overtook defending national champion and fellow Otago long jumper Shay Veitch who claimed silver with his jump of 7.42m.
McDonald made a subdued start, jumping 7.23m and 7.44m before pulling out 7.65m on his third attempt.
It capped off an amazing day for Otago athletes with many personal bests being set.
Cameron Moffitt won gold in the men’s senior 400m hurdles with his personal best of 53.31sec and John Gerber also produced a personal best in the men’s senior 100m final to win silver with his time of 10.50sec.
Becky Aitkenhead won silver in the women’s senior 800m in her time of 2min 05.96sec and Todd Bates won bronze with his season best throw of 56.16m in the men’s senior hammer throw.
Luke Moffitt produced two personal bests on his way to his medals.
He won silver in the men’s under-20 400m hurdles in 56.10sec and bronze in the men’s under-20 triple jump with his leap of 13.83m.
Blake Dalton backed up his men’s under-18 100m silver medal from by picking up silver in the 200m event with his time of 22.23sec.
Jorja Gibbons won bronze in the women’s under-20 100m race in 12.10sec and Alex Brown won silver in the men’s senior 3000m race walk, finishing in a time of 14min 23.14sec.
Olympic shot putter Maddison-Lee Wesche comfortably won the women’s senior shot put with her personal best throw of 19.43m.
Zoe Hobbs won the women’s senior 100m with her season best of 11.13sec.
