PORT Stephens Athletics Club hopefuls are flourishing under the guidance of master coach Bob Walkley.

After their record-breaking feats at the recent Port Hunter Zone Athletics Championships at Federal Park in Wallsend, the future is looking bright across all age divisions.

Six of the 38 zone records smashed at the championship meet were achieved by the talented Port Stephens contingent led by fourteen-year-old hurdles sensations Anna Taylor-Anderson and Mia McDonald.

“Anna and Mia have really stepped up this season with personal best times in their respective hurdles events and flat sprinting, along with several other club juniors,” said Walkley, who puts the athletes through an intensive training program each week at the Tomaree Sporting Complex.

Outstanding rookie Tom Collier won five gold medals at the championships in the 15yrs Boys category.

In his first season of competitive athletics, the exciting prospect captured gold in the 100m, 200m and 400m sprint finals before adding the long jump and javelin titles to an impressive list of achievements.

Other top Port Stephens juniors to smash Zone records were siblings Landen Weine (9yrs Boys) and Brayden Weine (11yrs Boys) in the 200m; Elara Barnes (13yrs Girls) in the 200m hurdles; and Rhylin Green and Hunter Travers joining forces with the Weine brothers to win the Junior Boys Relay.

Port Stephens Athletics Club finished runners-up to Adamstown-New Lambton on raw scores and Raymond Terrace Athletics Club (final handicap score) to cap a successful meet.

As a result, 34 of the club’s athletes have qualified for a total of 92 events in the Hunter Regional Athletic Championships to be held on 6-7 February, in Maitland.

“This has all been achieved through sheer dedication at training sessions both on the track and field since the start of the new season.”

Port Stephens Athletics Club’s Zone medal recipients included:

– 8yrs Boys: Marcus Auguste, gold 100m, silver 400m; George Collier, silver shot put.

– 8 yrs Girls: Maya White, gold long jump (PB), silver discus, bronze 70m; Iyla Green, gold 800m, silver 400m (PB) and discus (PB); Elayna Chesters, bronze 100m, bronze 60m hurdles, silver shot put.

– 9yrs Boys: Landen Weine, gold 100m, silver long jump, gold 70m, gold 200m; Tommy Buckton, silver 70m.

– 9yrs Girls: Evelyn Jurisic, gold 200m (PB). silver 400m; Ayla Buckton, bronze 60m hurdles, Malia Foster, silver 200m, bronze 100m; bronze long jump (PB); Isla Gattenof, gold 800m silver discus; Joy Schneider, silver 70m, silver long jump.

– 10yrs Boys: Rhylin Green, gold 400m (PB), silver 70m, silver 200m. Braxx Buckton, silver 60m hurdles, silver long jump, bronze 70m; Lachlan McKee, silver high jump, bronze shot put; Denver Trojkovic, silver 800m.

– 10yrs Girls: Laylah Standing, silver shot put.

– 11yrs Boys: Brayden Weine, gold 100m, gold 200m, gold high jump, silver long jump; Anthony Ford, bronze shot put.

– 11yrs Girls: Isla Trayerling, gold 400m (PB), silver 1500m, silver 800m, silver long jump; Amarli Buckton, bronze 80m hurdles.

– 12yrs Girls: Brynne Dagwell, gold triple jump (PB), gold javelin, silver shot put, bronze long jump; Jamie Taylor-Anderson, silver triple jump (PB), silver discus; Lucinda Bristow, silver 100m, silver 200m, bronze 800m, bronze 1500m; Zoe McKee, silver 80m hurdles, bronze triple jump (PB), bronze high jump.

– 12yrs Boys: Hunter Travers, silver 100m, silver 200m; Royal Turner-Bryans, silver discus (PB), silver shot put; Max Hanrahan, gold 80m hurdles, gold high jump, bronze long jump (PB).

– 13yrs Girls: Elara Barnes, gold 200m hurdles, gold 200m; Shanique Robinson, bronze high jump.

– 14yrs Girls: Eva Hanrahan, gold javelin (PB), gold shot put, silver discus; Mia McDonald, gold long jump, silver 500m, silver 90m hurdles, silver 200m, silver high jump, bronze 100m; Anna Taylor-Anderson, gold 90m hurdles, gold high jump, gold triple jump, silver 100m; Amelia McKee, gold 1500m walk, silver triple jump, bronze high jump.

– 15yrs Boys: Tom Collier, gold 100m, gold 200m, gold 400m, gold long jump and gold javelin.

– 15yrs Girls: Naomi Rengkitchaya, gold discus, silver shot put.

RELAYS: Junior Girls, gold Malia Foster, Joy Schneider, Isla Traverling and Lucinda Bristow; Junior Boys, gold Landen Weine, Hunter Travers, Rhylin Green and Brayden Weine; Senior Girls, silver Shanique Robinson, Naomi Rengkitchaya, Mia McDonald and Anna Taylor-Anderson.

By Chris KARAS