Anna Grimaldi
100m, 200m
No words are required to describe this woman. The three-time Paralympic champion is already an Otago great and is quickly emerging as one of the nation’s most beloved athletes. After an extended break following her 200m gold medal in Paris, the 28-year-old Bayfield High School product is not shaping up to be a frontrunner, having chosen to run in open categories featuring Olympic sprinter Zoe Hobbs and defending 200m champion Georgia Hulls. Nevertheless, Grimaldi is never one to miss and can be almost guaranteed to be keen for an autograph or selfie afterwards.
Alexa Duff
Javelin, discus
Much of the narrative in the women’s javelin will be around the return of Olympian and Gore native Tori Moorby (nee Peeters) to the South. In the years since Moorby’s departure from Dunedin, however, 18-year-old Duff has emerged as another promising javelin exponent to come out of Otago. The past few months have yielded several personal bests in both throwing events for Duff, who recently finished her time at Columba College and will relish the challenge of competing against New Zealand’s best.
Cameron Moffitt
Hurdles, shot put
Winning an absurd 16 national medals across youth, junior and senior levels by age 20, Moffitt finally sealed his maiden senior national title last year in the 400m hurdles. Although not the outright favourite this year, the defending champion will be a strong contender as he lines up alongside talented younger brother Luke. Cameron’s versatility is remarkable; in addition to the long and short hurdles, it will be a spectacle to see the now 21-year-old hurdles champion lining up alongside superstars Tom Walsh and Jacko Gill in the shot put. He won bronze at secondary schools level in the shot during his time at Otago Boys’, so is not just there to make up the numbers. In the absence of the decathlon at the championships, Moffitt will show off his all-round abilities.
Oli Chignell
5000m, 1500m
Otago’s first senior medal of the championships could come as early as this afternoon. Chignell, who first won the 5000m in 2018, is the fastest over the distance this season, but will have challengers in what will likely be a cagey affair over 12 and a-half 400m laps.
Shay Veitch, Hayato Yoneto, Schuyler Orr, Felix McDonald
Men’s 4×100m relay
Otago’s sprinting stocks have been the envy of the nation in recent years, and cannot be ignored. The province has won the last three national titles, and each victory has been enthralling. The unavailability of talismanic anchor John Gerber and Jackson Rogers’ relocation to Christchurch are big blows, but Otago’s losses have had a balancing effect on the competition, with old foes Auckland and Canterbury likely to make the event a three-horse race. If previous years are anything to go by, this is not one to miss. All four men also compete in individual sprints, and Veitch and McDonald are frontrunners for the long jump title.
