Whanganui High School Sports

River City Press Whanganui

Reiley Thomas represents NZ team at Oceania Athletic Championships

Reiley Thomas, a year 11 student at Whanganui High School is heading off this Friday to the Oceania Athletic Championships (18 to 23 May) in Darwin Australia. He is the only athlete selected from Whanganui for the New Zealand team.

These Championships are Oceania’s biggest athletics event. Competition includes Senior, Junior, Para, and Masters categories, bringing athletes of all ages, all abilities, all together.

Reiley will be competing in the 100m, 200m and the long jump and possibly in the 4 x 100m relay, with selection yet to be confirmed. As Reiley will be competing in the Under 18 category, while only just turning 16, he says, “I don’t expect to podium. Instead I will be aiming for personal bests.” His father Ryan Thomas from RT Heat Pumps will be accompanying Reiley.

Ryan comments that his cousin’s son is also a top athlete and is currently in the USA on a College scholarship. But as it is the wrong season for him, he won’t be competing at the Oceania’s. Reiley says, “I would love to follow in his footsteps. These championships will be a great learning experience for me.”

The cost of competing in Darwin comes to $6,500 covering accommodation, travel and competing gear. The local club has contributed with a $250 grant Manawatu Whanganui Athletics with another $100.

Reiley says, “I know two from Palmerston North who are competing and a para athlete from Timaru I’ve got to know who is the same age and competing in the same range of events.”

Competition for Reiley starts on Monday morning with the 100m, the long jump on the Tuesday morning, possibly the 4x100m on the Tuesday evening and the 200m on the Wednesday.

17/5/26